I was heading up Sixth Avenue and stopped to buy a new watch cap from a street vendor. As I pulled it on an old man approached me. His blue eyes burned and his hair was white as snow. I noticed that his wool gloves were unraveling and his left hand was bandaged.
—Give me the money you have in your pocket, he said.
Either I am being tested, I thought, or I have wandered into the opening of a modern fairy tale. I had a twenty and three singles, which I placed in his hand.
—Good, he said after a moment, and then returned the twenty.
I thanked him and continued on, more buoyant than before.
~ Patti Smith, M Train
Notes:
- Image: GeorgianCollege.ca
- Related Patti Smith Post: I believe in movement. I believe in that lighthearted balloon, the World.
Live & Learn 
pass on what you have, to someone who hasn’t. everything is fluid. it comes and goes, ebb and flow.
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pay it forward….yes.
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Abundance is letting go!
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Hopefully leaving some cash for train fare! 🙂
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Amazing…Scary and full of grace!
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Agree!
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Touched!!!
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Wonderful story. I agree!
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Love the purity and simplicity of this exchange. Give what you have, take only what you need…
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Yes. And the potential alternatives to the story.
Walk by and don’t acknowledge.
Fear that Man pulls knife or gun.
Man takes money and offers no thanks.
Etc.
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Oh, don’ think that this wasn’t the first scenario that shot through my mind, which made me sad in and of itself….
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WLS – and leave it to Ms. smith to isolate the perfect adjective – ‘buoyant’ – yes!
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Yes!
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Wow. So interesting. The humanity.
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And coming from unexpected places…
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Hahaha that would be a wild experience – love that he returns the twenty! ❤
Diana xo
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Yes…
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Full disclosure — drafting off the earlier comments and your responses and nodding all along. …uh huh, yeah….nod.
Buoyant. Perfect.
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Smiling. Thanks Bonnie.
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He might have said “please.”
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Yes, he may have been tired from asking, all day long…and was shocked that anyone stopped….
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The photo freaked me out David. If the guy looked at me like that I would feel threatened and concerned about my safety.
If he was small and smiled, or was a woman I would give without thinking….
Interesting perspectives!
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Laughing. Pic Knocked the gentleness right out of the story!
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