Stranger by Kristina Kostenko

The café was quiet until a tiny pair of feet

stepped up to a stranger with a metal leg.

It was a cold and rainy afternoon. People were sitting in a cosy small café, drinking hot coffee and watching the raindrops on the window. In the corner of the room, near the window, there was a man sitting alone. He looked about 35 years old. He was tall and broad-shouldered. His face was serious and a bit tired, but kind.  He had short brown hair with a little grey and a small beard. His eyes were blue, deep, and thoughtful as he had seen many difficult things. He was wearing a dark green sweater, black jeans and boots. But the most special thing about him was his left leg. It was a prosthetic, made of metal. He didn’t speak to anyone. He was drinking coffee slowly and watching the rain outside. 

On the other side of the café, there was a young woman with her little daughter. The girl was about four years old. She was very small, with big brown eyes and curly hair. She wore a pink jacket. In her small hands, she had a box of colourful plasters with pictures of Peppa Pig. Suddenly, she noticed the man’s leg and walked over to him.

“You have a vava,” she said, pointing to his metal leg. “Wait here!”

She ran to her mother. “Mommy, can I give him a plaster? The one with Peppa Pig. He needs it!”

The mother looked surprised and uncomfortable. “I’m not sure, sweetie…”

But the girl had already opened the box, took out the plaster and returned to the man. Without fear or hesitation, she carefully put the plaster on his metal leg.

“Now it won’t hurt anymore!” she said with a proud smile.

The man looked at her. He was quiet for a moment. The whole café was quiet. The mother came to them quickly.

“I’m really sorry,” she said. “She didn’t mean to bother you, she’s just very kind..”

But the man smiled warmly and interrupted in a deep and quiet voice, “Please, don’t apologize. Actually, she made my day.”

He looked at the girl and added, “Thank you, little doctor.”

Then he looked at the mother. “I was a soldier. I lost my leg in the war. Sometimes people don’t know how to act around me. But your daughter… she didn’t see something scary. She just wanted to help. That’s beautiful. And that means a lot”

The mother smiled quietly , touched by his words. “Thank you for your words,” she said softly.

The man stayed a bit longer, looking at the plaster on his leg. Then he stood up and left the café. About ten minutes later, the door opened again. It was the same man. This time, he was holding something, it was a big balloon with a picture of Peppa Pig. He walked  to the little girl and gave it to her.

“For the best doctor I’ve ever met,” he said.

The girl laughed and hugged the balloon. Her mother’s eyes were full of emotion. The man smiled again and walked out into the rain. The small pink plaster was still on his leg.

Sometimes the smallest things are more important than the large ones, such as a sticker, a smile, or a child's kind heart.