Letter: The Mystery Samaritan of St Catherine’s

Published on: 23 Mar, 2020
Updated on: 23 Mar, 2020

From: Don Johnston

There is a mysterious Good Samaritan in my neighbourhood. I am a 79-year-old disabled widower who lives alone, largely housebound, and I have been deeply touched in recent days by the deluge of offers of help and support from my friends and particularly neighbours.

Now, we who live on the narrower part of Portsmouth Road have long been cursed by car-borne litter louts who chuck out drink cans and fast-food boxes and wrappings as they race past, littering the street and our front gardens and blocking drains. The usual leaves don’t help much either.

Due to disability, I can no longer keep my garden clear so periodically I have to pay for a tidy-up. Last week the litter was particularly heavy and I had agreed a date with a handyman. But to my happy astonishment, on Saturday morning as I was dumping my recycling I realise my porch, front path and railings were pristine clear. I cancelled the date.

Now comes the mystery. Who did that? I tried to thank everyone who had contacted me earlier but all denied the transformation. I do have a disabled sticker on my front door and the regular bin lads are usually pretty decent, I’m glad to say, replacing the bins properly.

So to whoever cleaned my front garden, I offer my grateful thanks. There are in this world an awful lot more good people than bad although I understand some supermarket staff may see life differently these days.