Story：Fair distribution
【明報專訊】EDUMND passed by a back alley every day when he went to school. The strange thing was that there were several meal plates in the back alley every morning with milk and bread on them. Although they might not be enough to fill one's stomach, they were already good news for rough sleepers. Over time, Edmund's curiosity grew and wanted to know who was the low-profile ''philanthropist''. He decided to check that out.
One day, he got up earlier than usual, hoping to rush to the back alley before the philanthropist put down the food. When he arrived, he saw an old man in very tattered clothes holding a meal plate. There were no other people except the old man in the back alley. Edmund was disappointed. He had gotten up early but still couldn't make it.
After school, he passed through the back alley again. This time he saw the same old man again, but he was collecting the meal plates. Edmund had an idea, and stepped forward and asked him if he was the one who sent the food.
The old man said that he was not, and laughed, ''How could a dirty old man get the money to buy so much food?''
Edmund thought so and stopped asking.
Another morning. Edmund didn't have time to eat. He came to the bakery on his way to school. In front of him was the old man in rags again. He held a begging bowl in his hand, which contained some silver coins and banknotes. There were more than a hundred dollars. He chose the cheapest kinds of bread, together with several bottles of milk in his hand, and was about to go to the back alley to help the rough sleepers.
A cold morning. The temperature was only eight degrees Celsius. Edmund passed through the back alley as usual. At that moment he saw a large group of people surrounding an old man lying on the ground. It was that old man, the philanthropist! The ambulance arrived shortly afterwards. Edmund felt that he could not stay out of the matter, so he insisted on accompanying the old man to the hospital. The ambulanceman could not contact the old man's family. Maybe he has no family at all, so he let Edmund get on the ambulance.
The old man lay in the hospital for several days. It turned out that he was trying to raise enough money to help other rough sleepers buy food.
Edmund felt very ashamed, because he passed the back alley many times, but did not donate a cent to help the old man. While the old man stayed in the hospital to recover, Edmund used his pocket money to buy food for rough sleepers in the back alley.
Like the old man, he did that not for fame, but for humanity.
(by Ian Lam)
◆Food for thought
The essence of philanthropy is to help those in need without personal gains in mind. Do you agree with that?
■Gear up
Circle the correct answers after reading the above story.
(1)The old man is rich.
(True/False/Not given)
(2) Edmund helps the rough sleepers so as to earn pocket money.
(True/False/Not given)
(3) The back alley has poor hygiene. (True/False/Not given)
(Answers on next text)
■Glossary
back alley (n) 後巷
rough sleeper (n) 露宿者
low-profile (n) 低調的
philanthropist (n) 慈善家
[Smarties' Power English 第305期]
