Dublin airport; Bernard and the Lady from Gambia

I first spotted Bernard for two reasons.  The first was that he was being closely followed by a security guard outside WH Smith's, the second was because his face was incongruous with the rest of him.   He had the face of the old men who drank in London Irish pubs back in the '80's, but was wearing the clothes of a dandy; spats, paisley socks, a silk tie, waistcoat and tweed overcoat.  He was also very tiny.  

I had an hour to kill before my bus left so did what I always do on arrival in Dublin and took myself off to The Lansdowne bar where I ordered a Guinness from the chatty barman who gave me the same patter as usual 'come from far?' (not that far) 'bet the weather's better there' (not really). 

I found a booth and settled in for a moment of pure pleasure.  Bernard came a long with a beautiful black lady and shuffled into the booth beside me while his companion went up to the bar, ruffling his hair aimiably as she passed behind him between the booths. He grinned at me and told me his name was Bernard.  He had a thick Northern Irish accent and barely any teeth.  'you see that lady there' he said, 'I was homeless and was sitting in a pub one day to get out of the cold and she offered me a drink.'  I glanced up at her at the bar, she was having some craic with the barman. 'She offered me a drink and then we became friends.  She found me a place to live and put an old man back on his two feet'.  She came back with a large glass of red wine which she placed in front of Bernard and slid into the booth with a glass of Guinness for herself.  She smiled at me and said 'he doesn't half talk'.  She said it was all true.  They'd become pals and he'd come all the way from Belfast to meet her off the plane from Gambia where she had spent three weeks with her family>.  There was a sense of festivity about her return which was infectious, so we all toasted each other.  'To goodness' I said, touching my glass to Bernard's and the Lady from Gambia's.  'May God love you' he said and laughed a toothless smoker's laugh.

Entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares