His gift to us

I found Riley (or Wiley, I’m not sure I heard him correctly) selling Street Roots, the newspaper homeless and formerly-homeless people sell on the streets here, like Big Issue in the UK. I was drawn to his electric-blue eyes and warm smile, and I bought a paper from him. I asked him what he wants for Christmas and he shrugged his shoulders and laughed. So I asked him, “What would you like to give someone for Christmas, then?”

“Now that’s a question nobody ever asks me.” After a pause, he answered, “The gift of sobriety. That’s the best gift there is. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol until a year ago, and I was on the street. Now I'm clean and sober and I have a place to live, and I feel a whole lot better. It gets better. That’s what I’d like to tell people. If they have an addiction, once they kick it, it gets better. That’s my experience anyway.”

I showed him my picture of him and asked if he’d like me to send it to him. “Nah, I’m good,” he grinned. I agree. He’s good.

I resisted the temptation to convert this to B&W. I couldn't let go of his blue blue eyes.