That day, Ralf refused the dish, muttering:

— Nobody cares about me… why eat?

Anne approached, looking him straight in the eyes:

— I want to be your friend. I want to hear your voice speaking to me. Don’t stop living, Ralf. Everyone can say you’re worthless, but don’t listen to them. You’re worth it!

A faint smile escaped the corner of Ralf’s lips. No one had ever said anything like that to him, and it warmed his heart.

Later that night, Anne was at a lavish party at her house. A friend, holding a glass of wine, commented:

—Why do you insist on helping those beggars? They’re filthy, good for nothing. Instead of hanging around with them, stay with us. We’re high-class, people you can trust. Instead of having beggars as friends, have us!
Anne was thoughtful:

— Am I doing something wrong?

Hours later, an explosion rocked the house. Within seconds, the fire spread. Orange flames climbed the walls, and smoke made the air almost unbreathable.

In the square, some beggars saw the flash and ran. Among them was Ralf. One of the employees shouted in despair:

—The flames are too high! Mrs. Anne is still inside!

Ralf’s heart raced. Without thinking, he charged through the crowd, ignoring the shouts:

— Don’t go! You’re going to die!

But he wasn’t the only one. Other beggars also came in to save Anne.

The heat inside was stifling. The sofa and the walls were burning. Coughing, one of the beggars went to the kitchen and came back:

— She’s not here!

Another went up to the second floor and returned:

— Not here either!

Then Ralf said:

— Okay, stay outside. It’s getting dangerous. I’ll check on him in the bedroom!

She covered her face with a cloth and went upstairs. When she touched the handle of the bedroom door, she felt her skin burn. She stepped back in pain, but murmured:

— It doesn’t matter… I have to save her.

He kicked the door. It held. Another knock, and finally it gave way. The room was engulfed in flames and thick smoke. On the floor, Anne was unconscious.

He picked her up, shielding her face with the cloth. He staggered downstairs, feeling the heat lick his back and hearing the creaking of the wood about to give way. When he returned to the living room with Anne, the other beggars helped carry her, and they all left the burning house together.

Ralf placed Anne on the grass. Everyone rushed to see. Her rich friends, standing on the sidewalk as if watching a spectacle, hadn’t taken a step to help. Only Ralf and the beggars—whom many called “dirty” and “useless”—risked their lives for her.

Anne opened her eyes and, seeing them kneeling beside her, tears filled her face.

— You risked your lives for me…

Ralf smiled, exhausted:

— Friends do that. You risked everything for us every day, even if it was just a plate of food. Why would we leave you now?

Minutes later, the firefighters arrived. Seeing Ralf’s behavior, they recognized in him the skill and courage of a professional. They discovered that he had once been a firefighter, but had lost everything due to drunkenness. An officer approached:

— You still have that in your blood. Do you want to come back?

Ralf looked at Anne, who nodded with a smile.

– Yes I want.

And so, Ralf got back on his feet. He became a firefighter again, regaining his respect and dignity.

Anne, for her part, managed to buy another house and continued bringing food to the homeless. To her, these people were much more like friends than anyone who claimed to be.

True friendship is revealed in times of difficulty.