I'd sat watching him as long as he had watched me.
I hoped he hadn't noticed my interest in him as I didn't want to offend him.
He was shabbily dressed and obviously hadn't shaved for many days.
His shoes were ancient and badly scuffed, his raincoat ripped and of very little use in a downpour.

One couldn't help but feel sorry for him, although many who would willingly have shared the bench with others, walked quickly past the bench that he sat on.
I was dressed only slightly more tidy than he, as I too was down on my luck having been paid-off from my last job after three years loyal service.
Times were hard and I was really fed-up with having no future prospects, but surely I wasn't as hard-up as this old guy.
He would never work again, even if the job market was awash with jobs.

I ventured over and sat on his bench.
He paid me no heed and continued to gaze into the distance.
Pulling out my cigarette packet I offered one to him, even though the pack only contained two.
Ah well, I had intended to cut down.
He thanked me and put the cigarette in his raincoat pocket.
"For later," he smiled.

We got to talking and he told me that he had once been in business but he had lost everything.
His wife had divorced him and his children no longer had any association with him.

I told him that I was in a similar position, what with losing my job and with a baby on the way, and now, the building society talking about repossessing my house which was still under mortgage.
He was most sympathetic and wished me luck in finding another job.

As it was getting dark I decided it was time to be getting back home.
My wife would be worried by my long absence. I'd only gone for a walk in the park and she had expected me back ages ago.
As I stood to leave I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out what little money I had.
There was a two-pound coin and some change.
I hadn't the heart to offer him the change so I handed him the two-pound coin.
He looked at me and smiled again, "Surely you can't afford that," he said.
"You need it more than me mate, at least I have a roof over my head, for the moment anyway," I replied.
"Thank you so much,"he said. "You're very kind in spite of your own problems."
"That's me, Rockerfeller," I laughed as I walked away.

As I was leaving the park I glanced back to wave, but he had gone, probably for a cup of tea and a sandwich in the park cafe.

Some weeks later I received a letter from the bank.
An appointment had been arranged for me with the manager.
When my wife read it she cried like a baby.
"That's it, they are going to take the house off us, whatever will we do?" she wailed.
"Don't panic love, let's see what they have to say first.
Perhaps they can stagger our repayments somehow."

I entered the bank with leaden feet.
My bravado to my wife had been just that, bravado.
We were going to get kicked-out and we had nowhere to go. I felt like crying myself.

The bank managers secretary led me to his office.
I was dreading hearing the news.
"Good morning Mr.Jenkins, please take a seat," was his opening greeting.
"I received correspondence from your building society last week, and I've just received the paperwork relating to your house."

Here it comes, we are in deep water, was my first thought.
He handed me an official looking document.
I looked at him quizzically.
"I assure you it is all in order Mr.Jenkins, your mortgage is paid in full, and this is your new bank account book.
Congratulations Sir, I'm happy to see someone is surviving through this difficult economic period."

He shook my hand as he rose.
He could obviously see that I had nothing to add to the conversation.
I was at a loss to understand what he was talking about, but I was sure that my wife Jenny would sort it all out, she was clever with things like this, far cleverer than me anyway.

I hurried home and laid the bank book on the table.
Jenny opened it and there, in our names, was a balance of fifty thousand pounds.
"What the hell is going on here,?" she cried.
"I don't know, it's just as the bank manager gave it to me, and this is a letter from the building society."

She tore it open and inside were the deeds to our house, all paid and signed over to us.
We looked at each other in amazement.
I picked up the envelope, and inside was a solitary cigarette.

Kitos.