my name is berin and i am grinning like an absolute tool...

...hello. Completely grinning ear to ear. Like I'm absolutely bananas.

Let me tell you a nice story.

We just had a chap shuffle in here, just a wisp of a man. 70 years old, balding (but sporting a fine, fine hat.....arch) and mopping the rain off himself after shuffling here from the train station. After taking a few moments to gather his breath he dumped some heavily laden bags on one of the desks and proceeded to explain himself.

He had heard about the woman who I talked about a few posts ago who started a school in Bangladesh. Last week he had attended a talk by her, that we organised. He heard about us collecting musical instruments for the wee cherubs and decided to see what he could do.

As it turns out he was 10 when the bomb went off in Hiroshima. His family was killed and he was shuffled off to an orphanage. Here's what he said...

"I know what it's like to grow up with nothing and to be at the bottom of the heap. It's crap. I want to help these kids have a childhood."

So he bought 15 (pairs? schools? pods?) Castanets, 7 Maraccas, 5 Harmonicas, 3 Gazoos and the most enormous 3 layered tambourine I have ever seen.

"I'm on a pension and have my house already. I don't need it all, I've had a good run" he said.

Then he donned his cap, straightened his tie and shuffled on out of here. I tried to get Kenny Loggins to quickly write the score to his triumphant leaving but he was busy.

Bloody Good Show.

Nice People Totally, Totally Rule.

Yours, grinning,

berin.

PS: anyone who is mean out there and reading this: piss off, you're ruining my vibe.