I got up early this morning to watch Arsenal play Liverpool a big game in the EPL. Midweek games are really good because I can watch them before going to work rather than being up at all hours of the weekend.

Anyway it wasn’t going well for an Arsenal supporter 2-0 down early in the second half so I turned the TV off and decided to get an early start at work. By the time I got downstairs and my iphone had picked up the radio broadcast it was 2-2. Should I go back

and watch the rest? I decided not to as I had an article to write so an early start would be a bonus!

When I got to the traffic lights a gentleman in his 60s asked me where I was walking to so I told him. He asked if he could walk with me as he was not feeling well and was on his way to the hospital What could I say but yes. It quickly transpired that he wasn’t at all well and that I would need to walk the whole way to the hospital with him.

He had driven down from the country as he was scheduled to have surgery and had left his car at a friend’s house. They had already gone to work and so he thought he would catch a taxi – no luck so he decided to walk.

I asked if he had friends or family to keep an eye on him whilst in hospital and he sort of said not really.

It made pause to reflect on all the lonely people and what they do in similar circumstances. More specifically it made me think how lucky I am to have my family and friends around me.

Postscript : It made my day yesterday when he called to say he had got through his surgery OK (1/2/13)