ELSPETH.

It has been a long day. For may years I had worked at the local school, I had got to know the children, parents, teachers, and members of the public. It was a wonderful life.

Then that all changed, when out of the blue, I had a letter, from the Council letting me know, “There has been a shake up, and you have to change schools.” I really didn’t want to move, as I had got comfortable with my job role. To make matters worse, not only was I moving to a different school but I was been transferred to TWO different schools, both far from my home. I had always walked to the local school, and moving to the new schools, I would continue to walk to work.

I officially retired years ago, but wanted to give back to the Community and didn’t want to stay home, I am a people person, and love to be around different types of people of all ages. My job was perfect for me for my personality.

On my last day at the local school, the school had done a surprise, leaving do for me, I am not an emotional person, but it did bring a tear to my eye. There seemed to be SO much love, from the teachers, parents and especially the children, who I had seen grown over the years and got to know them. Those who were always early, those who were always on time and those who were always late.

I was given a lovely gift from the school, a pink woollen scarf, hat, and matching gloves, with a £20 Boots voucher.

I was naturally apprehensive, about starting over again at a new job, for no one likes to be the newbie. But I knew just like my local school job, meant I met, some wonderful people, this too would also be the case at my two new schools. Few of the children in the local school had confided in me, and I was able to make a real difference for change in their lives, and I was sure, these two new positions would be the same too. I knew just like I had helped some of the children in need, that once I settled in, that children there would confide in me, and hopefully I would be able to help them. So, really it would still be a wonderful life.

Today was my third month at the two new posts, I had settled in better that I thought I would, I had got myself into a good routine and had met some wonderful teachers, parents, and children.

I had filled up my large water bottle, put my beef and mustard sandwiches and homemade Manor cake in my rucksack, along with my carton of cranberry juice, a little flask with tea in and my tablet. My lovely hat, scarf and gloves were also in there. With all that weight I was carrying, it was good, to keep me fit, plus all those extra steps, it worked out as 20,000 a day! Those 20,000 steps, and the items in my rucksack as weights, were all a free workout.

I had not long left my home, in my thick hi-vis hooded jacket with thick matching trousers. Suddenly and unexpectedly, I slipped and fell onto the hard concrete!

It all happened SO quickly, my legs were to the side, I felt a bit dazed, I saw the man look at me as he rode past me, on his bike. As I was still trying to process it, I saw a woman running towards me in her dressing gown and a man with no shoes on his bare feet, close behind her.

She asked, “Are you OK?” I said, “I think so.” The man said, “Do you think you are hurt?” I said, “No I don’t think I am.” The woman asked, “Did you faint?” I replied, “No I slipped,” The man said, “We are going to help you up, ok?” I replied, “OK.” He gently went behind me, putting his strong arms under my arms with the lady on my left side and holding onto my arm, and together they lifted me up with ease. The lady said, “Did you hit your head?” I said, “No,” The man said, “How do you feel, now you are standing?” I said, “I feel fine.” He then added, “Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?” I replied, “No thank you.” The lady said, “Your stick broke!” I said, “No it folds in half, it is not broken.”

The lady said, as we walked, “I came out to the bins and thought I saw a workman in a manhole, then when I looked again, I realized it was someone who was on the floor and I got my husband.” She went on to say, “We will walk with you till we get to our house, my name is Maxine and this is my Husband Paul.” We got to their home, and they said, “Look after yourself and take care.” I replied, “Thank you both.

I was very grateful for their help, as I carried on walking, I remembered Maxine, but until now, I didn’t know her name, I had crossed her over the road many times as she went to work.

As I walked past my old school, I thought about what had just happened, how in a second your life can change, and the man that rode past me on his bike, we had looked at each other in the eye, then in seconds help came.

In the staff room at the first school, I took out my little flask of tea, and was glad I had put sugar in it this morning.

I thought of all the years that I had helped people, and today, kind help had come to me. It made me smile, and I thought, it IS a wonderful life.