Healing powers of tea.

I was stepping off the 38 at Angel, furious about an exchange from earlier in the day, and I saw him.  A kid, really, in a sleeping bag with his head down, leaning on a phone box.  I have to admit that with so many drunks, I don't really notice people sitting on the street.  But I looked this kid in the face.  He was crying. 

Walking past, I tried to put it all together.  Why was he crying?  Was he homeless?  Maybe he got kicked out of his home.  He looked clean - and so young - maybe 17 or 18.   What should I do?  I don't know how shelters work here.  I don't know where one is.  Maybe churches provide that function?  It was pretty warm out and he has his sleeping bag, so he won't freeze.  But it was gnawing at me.

So I walked back.  I dug a couple of pounds out of my purse and knelt down to place them into his hat.  I caught his eyes, which were red and swollen.  "Are you OK?"  He seemed surprised that I was speaking to him.  He looked back down and said, "Yeah...uh...yeah.  Thanks.  Cheers."  He hesitated.  I wanted him to be ok but also if he said otherwise, I really wasn't sure what to do.  He wasn't drunk or high.  He was just - devastated.  But the kind of devastation that people usually keep to themselves.  I walked away.

Again, it gnawed at me.  The kid was crying.  So I did what I like people to do for me when I'm crying.  I brought him a cup of tea.

Buying the tea was easy until I had to decide if it should have sugar or milk in it.  I like milk, but what if he's lactose intolerant or something?  I started to stray off into the what-if-he-sues-me territory, then admonished myself for being jaded by an overly litigious American society.  I decided plain tea was best.  As I approached, he was staring at the ground again with the sleeping bag pulled up to his chin.  The sight was heartbreaking.

"I brought some tea," I said.  He looked up and thanked me.  Again he seemed surprised.  "It's going to be OK," I said.  I really hoped I was right.  For a second, I think he believed me.

"I hope so."

"It will.  Be careful.  The tea is really hot."  He reached out an arm from underneath the blanket.  despite my warning, he started drinking right away.  Some people do better with hot-hot than others.  I thought to myself, "Oh great!  This kid is having a rotten time and I just helped him singe off the roof of his mouth."  He thanked me again.


I walked away, hoping after a good cry and a cup of tea, things would seem a lot clearer.  I really hope for this kid it's that easy.