I have heard a lot of bad news in my journey through life. At times I may have been the cause, the center or a peripheral. I have no immunity to it. However, generally I can word sympathy and empathise. It doesn't mean my world will end. The impact the news will have on my daily life is minimal. Bit sometimes or one time there's something new.

Life carried on at the shop just as normal. The only difference the presence of the old fella.

Dotty. Ye finished with them holidays yet? When are ye comin' back?

Tom. Can be around tomorrow.

Dotty. Great see ye then.

Tom thought to himself. He must be expecting his time to be taken up elsewhere. Fighting back the ego that his presence was needed. Believing that monster is always a road to trouble.

Returning the next day. Tom just got back to what he would normally do. Only this time he also brought one of those chromebooks. This would stay at the shop and would be used if ever needed to explain his project. He found an unused socket and plugged in.

The day went just like he thought it would. Smooth and easy. So did the next day and then the day after. That is until Then.

A very nice lady from around the Corner. Very well spoken too. *I enquired where little rea was.

Now there's a thing. I was unsure of the relationship between this lady and young Rea. Previously.

Tom had been charmed by Rea for a while now. She was Tomboyish. She had a house full of brothers. But she was still a girl. Cars and trucks not her things but bikes and scooters all the kids like those. She liked to do her hair up and she wore ribbons or bows in the hair.

She was growing up learning how to defend herself and find her standing in this crazy world. One that changes so fast now too.

This would have been a couple of year ago now. The side gate was open for some reason. Steven was behind the counter. Tom was at the side gate when he seen, the lady walk young Rea around to the shop. It could be clearly seen something had happened. Tom had already decided. If she was in trouble, he would speak up for her.

Right then he carried on with what he had started. Taking in or checking on a delivery. By the time he entered the shop. All of the drama had unfolded. Later Tom caught Paula while she was on a smoke break and asked about why Rea was walked back to the shop. Paula told him. Rea had called Steven a baldy bastard. This surprised Tom. This is something he was unable to see her saying. Not without reason.

He pondered things for a day and then asked Paula again about the Rea incident, digging a little deeper. Asked why she had said. As it turned, Steven was provoking her and she wanted to stand her ground and got frustrated. It's good she learns she cannot resort to language like so when things are not going her way. But wrong that she can be provoked like so, almost a form of bullying and she is left defenceless not able to talk.

He would make sure to tell her he was on her side some how, the next time he seen her. The provocation was enough to rest his mind. He had built a mental image of her and that had thrown him a curve ball. No strike. If you cannot see an incident like that happening before hand, you are not paying attention.

It would be the Monday next when Tom seen Rea and let her know he was on her side. Letting her know he had heard what happened. He added that he thinks she is great. That she is always polite to him. From that day a point was made to say hello. No more just passing by without a word. A tap on the arm or shoulder if knelt down. Always a smile the head nods left and right and a hello.

When on tea breaks. Rea would stop and talk on the way in and the way out. More things Tom was learning about Elsa and other names now forgotten. From all of Tom seen the magic the hoy with which the young still see life. Why is that not something we protect, the magic the young can imagine.

Anytime he just got a tap and a hello, he would ask how was school or what she had been doing. It did not expand the conversations much. The intention was to reinforce what he had said earlier, someone on her side. For the confidence it seemed to give her at the shop anyway. The tiniest of effort was worth it.

• Continued in the next post.