A story from Grown up lad from Leeds

When I was 10, I was already trek obsessed. This was before streaming, and we really didn't have the money for all the videos. But I really loved Star Trek first contact.

Anyway, I eventually got the book, the novelisation. Now I'm not criticising the book, but it wasn't as thrilling for 10 year old me. But it was the thing I took with me to hospital. One time, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. I couldn't sneeze, couldn't cough, or even laugh a lot without my chest hurting. It obviously wasn't fatal, but I was given a bed and observed for about a week. Next to me in this ward room was another kid, his condition seemed a little more serious. He was in more pain than me and had far more tests. He seemed to be having a real rough go of things. My mum came in to see me everyday and brought my things, so did this lad's mum. And his brother sometimes came along with her too.

Anyway, this ward had a PlayStation, but few games. Fortunately, I had some at home. I'd had the PlayStation for a few years and accumulated some over the birthdays and Christmases that came around. So my mum brought some in. And I let my ward roommate (in fact my only ward roommate) and his brother play with them. His mum was very grateful and noticed that the book I was reading.

Now we were in Yorkshire you see, so she apparently told me she knew Patrick Stewart's niece and could pass along a letter, as a thank you. My mum and me were very grateful. Dutifully, I wrote one with my address on it and handed it to her with hope it'd reach my hero.

Anyway, some months go by and I get called downstairs by mum, not that it was standard practice for her, but she opened my mail. I came down to discover that Patrick Stewart not only sent me an autographed photo of Captain Picard, thanking me, but also wrote my home address on the envelope, even my name, funnily enough sending it from a city pretty close to mine. I'll always treasure it and always remember that momentary kindness can be special indeed.