An act of Kindness

Kindness can go a long way.

Splash! The pools explode outwards as feet come crashing down onto the floor. A figure is walking in the dark light given off by the sun as the clouds protect the sun from Earth. The figure is making the most noise on the street as his rushed legs are stomping onto the ground with the rest of his body trying to catch up. His rush was shown just as much as his emotions. He did not look happy. On the contrary, he looked worried, stressed and fearful. In ten minutes time he was supposed to be in the most important meeting of his life and career. However, he was a twenty-minute walk away from his destination and his car's engine had collapsed just two minutes ago- so much for being early. He turns to cross Jugglers Close's calm river as there are no cars as most have either gone to work or they are asleep. His foot goes to cross but he hears a crash and considers looking up- curiosity never killed anybody. He looked up with his foot still hovering in the air. Across from him was a woman. She looked like she was supposed to be his age. However, she had a child and another on the way and the stress had changed her from looking twenty-five to looking like she was in her forties. Her dirty blonde hair was in a messy bun and looked like it had not been brushed properly for weeks, maybe even longer. She was wearing what was supposed to look like a baggy white top for her but barely fit around her stomach with grey joggers that had a stain on the left thigh. Apart from the child with her, she was alone- no husband in sight. Then, he followed her tired hazel eyes and noticed that she was looking at four shopping bags that were the size of the moon that were tipped over in a puddle on the side of the road. She started to pick them up when the child inside of the pushchair started squealing causing the woman to stand up leaving the shopping to be consumed by the water for longer. As she was going towards her child, she made a grab for her stomach and started breathing heavily. Noticing the size of it made him realise that she looks extremely far into her pregnancy. She doesnt look like she has any help from the father so she is trying to raise a child and keep him/her happy when she is in pain and stressed and currently trying to get food home. She probably cannot even afford to get any more food until next week. The man turned to look away from the stressed woman with her child and her shopping. The only thought running through his head was David, you do not have time for sympathy.

As he was about to walk away the word sympathy was echoing in his brain trying to break free. In the end it did. He was remembering a memory. It was from a year ago before his life was filled with stress, misery and meetings. Before his father got involved with his life. Before sympathy and empathy were erased from his vocabulary. He closed his eyes to listen. Crash! Splash! The waves were crashing against the rocks on the beach and then disappearing back to sea preparing for another attack towards unwanted guests. The sun was setting which made everything shine orange and the beach was all but deserted. It was mainly filled was what looked like couples strolling along the beach watching the sunset. It also contained people going on walks most likely for exercise. Sitting down on a slope was a man and a woman. To be more specific it was David and his sister. They had spent the day together and were relaxing. Davids sister was leaning into him with her head on his shoulder for warmth as it had cooled down now; it was getting too cold for her that even David wasnt helping as the half of her that wasnt leaning into him were overpowering his warmth and she shivered. Without a second thought, David took off his jacket and handed it to his sister and noticing a man who looked like he was in need of help, told her to go home and that they would do it again very soon. David's sister, understanding David's kindness, bade him farewell with a hug and a kiss on the cheek and walked away. David was always a kind person and always thought about other people before himself. That is why he took the job at his fathers business; he wasnt looking forward to being a business man but he wasnt ready for the face that his father would give if he declined the opportunity. David walked toward the man and asked if he was alright. The man was grateful for the help. David had had a nice time with the man and he had found out that his name is Ian and he was seventy-eight; he was visiting this beach for a first time and going somewhere new usually involves getting lost along the way. However. Ian was alone and had never been in a two-mile radius of this place before and had walked the whole way so David accompanied him home and they got to know each other very well during that hour together. That day, David was given a reward for his kindness that he had accepted- a friend. On his way back, David could not stop smiling. This is the most he has ever smiled after helping anybody. He was convivial. To this day Ian and David had remained friends.