To give someone a 'leg up' once meant to literally assist them in getting up on a horse. As the days of transportation by horseflesh gave way to transportation by horsepower, the saying has been retained in the sense of rendering assistance in general.

In the case of 30-year-old Christopher Howell, though, a 'leg up' is needed not just for general assistance, but specifically for a leg, as he needs a prosthesis on the right side. After being shot in 1999 while on his way from work, and losing the limb as a result, Howell says he has been unable to use his carpenter and welding skills, having to stick to odd jobs as a painter.

What is very interesting, though, is that he is asking for the assistance so that he can go back to earning his way through life. As he puts it, "I can't do work as me could. If me could get rid a the stick, den it woulda help. Please I am asking Jamaica assist me to get the necessary money to start back my life."

In this day and age of strong men, often well- dressed at that, begging for money without even having the decency to look ashamed, Howell's attitude is not only striking but also heartening. We not only hope that he gets the just over US$5,000 required for the process of acquiring the leg in Cuba, but that his productive life before, and hopefully after the prosthesis, serves as an example to all, with two legs or one.