Paul Jenkinson, 70, lived a quiet and ordinary life. He spent most of his days at home, watching the world go by, noticing how disconnected people seemed.
Everyone walked past each other, rarely stopping to talk or really listen.
So one day, Paul decided to do something simple but meaningful. He printed a sign that read “Here to listen,” grabbed two chairs, a folding table, and set it up in a local park.
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At first, people passing by were curious — some even a bit puzzled.
“Who is this old man sitting here?” a woman whispered to her friend as they walked past.
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“Why’s he just sitting there with that sign?” another passerby asked aloud.
Paul smiled kindly but said nothing. He knew his offer was different from the usual hustle and bustle. He wasn’t selling anything or asking for favors — he was just there to listen.
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One afternoon, a man hesitated but then sat down next to Paul.
“I don’t usually talk to strangers,” the man said, looking down.
“That’s okay,” Paul replied gently. “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to. I’m just here if you want to talk.”
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The man nodded, and soon shared a story about feeling lonely after losing his job.
Over time, Paul heard stories from more than 100 strangers — stories of loss, loneliness, hope, and sometimes even joy.
“One woman told me, ‘I lost my husband last year, and some days it just feels too much,’” Paul recalled. “I didn’t say much, just listened. She thanked me for that.”
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Another time, a woman shared, “I’m homeless right now. It’s hard out there. It helps to just talk to someone who listens.”
Some stayed just a few minutes, others stayed for hours.
“People would sit down and say, ‘I don’t even know why I’m telling you this,’” Paul said. “But I think we all need that space to be heard.”
“Plus, there’s no time limit or topic preference to these conversations. So once people start talking, they talk about anything and everything,” he told CBC.
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“We spend so much time talking, but when you sit and listen… really listen… you realize how rare that is,” Paul reflected.
He doesn’t have a permanent home during this project. Instead, he travels wherever he’s invited and has a place to stay.
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Paul says the tour has changed him as much as the people who stop to talk.
“You think you’re doing this for others,” he said, “but it ends up changing you too.”
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Paul has been currently touring across Canada and often shares updates on his Patreon.
Disclaimer: Our intention is to brighten your day and make you smile. Photos courtesy of Paul Jenkinson’s Patreon, and story originally reported by CBC.
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