"I had almost given up"

Saw an old man playing a flute today near the National palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia. I was hurrying by, but there was something so desperate about the music that I retreated my steps and gave him 5 leva, not much... He looked up at me surprised and said: "I had almost given up, There is God." I decided that whatever I was doing could wait and stood there talking to him.

His voice sounded like the voice of a person who has not talked to anyone for a long time.

He called me his daughter, told me he had a daughter and a son, but they had abandoned him. He lives close by, but money isn't enough, so he comes to sit here hoping for a few stotinki thrown in the basket, which contained nothing but a small bottle of lemonade.

He needed the company, I wish I had stayed, I wish I had asked his name. He told me tonight he can get himself dinner. He played beautifully old revolutionary songs and marches. Told me: "We are disappearing as a nation and people, we need to take care of each other." Yes, we do. There was shame and painful vulnerability in the way he talked. This is all wrong, but what is to be done? I left him there alone in a city of 2 million that could care less. I hope tomorrow someone else stops for a few minutes to see the old man playing outside the palace doors.

National Palace of Culture (NDK)