He wore work clothes — paint-stained jeans, a thick jacket, heavy boots. His gaze kept shifting to the boy’s bare feet, then to his bag by his feet. He was thinking about something.

— Listen. I just bought sneakers for my son. But he’ll probably manage. He still has a pair, and they’re still good. You seem to need them more.

He took a box out of his bag. Opened the lid. Inside were fresh blue sneakers with tags.

The boy looked like he didn’t understand. First at the shoes. Then at the man. Then back at the shoes. He carefully tried them on… And they fit perfectly.