Slightly Less Misanthropic Today
On my bus ride home from work last night, I witnessed an event that may seem ordinary but effected my outlook on mankind greatly.
The bus was making its way through the night and all was usual; the work-weary, the transients. At one stop a man boards with giant bags from Ross and turns around and notices his significant other was struggling at the door. She was encumbered by something that I could not see from where I was sitting. The man walks over to his lady and grabs the giant Ross bags she was holding and set them down. Then he maneuvers a very drunk man that was leaning on his lady’s back. It was very clear that the inebriated man was not with them. Ross Man and Lady Ross gingerly plop Drooling, Drunk Man onto a seat and voice concern over his state. This continues for about a mile until Ross Man makes the executive decision to take Drunk Man’s phone and call someone to help.
“Hi. I’ve got your friend here and he’s drunk. I’ll be getting off on Anaheim and Walnut. We’ll be waiting with him until you arrive.”
So they collect the mess, a mess that is not their responsibility, and sat with him in the cold night air until his friend came to get him.
The real heart of this story is that Mr. and Mrs Ross did not look like your typical Good Samaritans; they were sporting a too-small pink velour track suit and low-slung baggy jeans. It made me feel low that I would have misjudged them had I not witnessed this event. It also made me feel really good to see that there are people out there that are willing to help a stranger in need.
Has this changed me? Maybe just a little bit for the better.
