True Story...

I was in New York last year - on holiday for a couple of weeks - with my sister - Upper Westside - 82nd street or so.

There were a lot of homeless people, beggars - no different than London really. One of them was a girl. I call her a girl because she was. She looked very young - couldn't have been older than 14. So young.

Sleeping next to a shop.

Dirty. Very dirty. Like she'd been down a chimney sweep. The dirt didn't hide her childhood. And the fact that she was a beautiful child. And the worrying fact that she may never grow up to be a balanced young woman with a whole world of opportunities at her feet.

I didn't know what to do for her.

So I placed a couple of dollars in her curled hand

...and a mango.

And walked away...

knowing that neither one of them would be enough.


I'm sorry I couldn't save you

Put warm food in your belly
Wash your face
Bathe you
Clothe you
Hug you

Tell you "you're safe now".



mango.FReak