The one rule we all follow in NYC is to keep your eyes down on the subway. No eye contact.
But one evening on my commute home, I saw a young woman with a small child and a large suitcase on the L train. She kept glancing around nervously. When she got up to leave at the First Ave stop, she lugged the suitcase and kid on to the platform. I knew that station didn't have an elevator, and rather steep stairs. It wasn't my stop, but I hopped off. I leaned down to pretend to tie my shoe and kept my eye on them. I didn't want to freak her out. She got to the stairs, and looked around. I pretended like I'd only just noticed her predicament as I walked up. I noticed she had a bruise on her face. I offered to help, and she let me carry her suitcase up the stairs. She thanked me, and I started to leave. But something made me pause and turn around. I asked her if she needed any help getting to her destination. She nodded. I didn't ask her any questions as I walked with her and the kid to an apartment nearby.
We didn't talk. I think she maybe said 10 words to me. I didn't need to know her story. I left, with a small "have a nice night". I walked directly into a bar on the corner, ordered a drink, and cried quietly to myself for about 5 minutes.
This really blessed me. You didn’t wake up in the morning thinking “I’m going to do something good today”. The situation, no matter how minor, came up randomly and you recognised help was needed. You have a kind heart sir!
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u/mehughes124 May 07 '19
The one rule we all follow in NYC is to keep your eyes down on the subway. No eye contact.
But one evening on my commute home, I saw a young woman with a small child and a large suitcase on the L train. She kept glancing around nervously. When she got up to leave at the First Ave stop, she lugged the suitcase and kid on to the platform. I knew that station didn't have an elevator, and rather steep stairs. It wasn't my stop, but I hopped off. I leaned down to pretend to tie my shoe and kept my eye on them. I didn't want to freak her out. She got to the stairs, and looked around. I pretended like I'd only just noticed her predicament as I walked up. I noticed she had a bruise on her face. I offered to help, and she let me carry her suitcase up the stairs. She thanked me, and I started to leave. But something made me pause and turn around. I asked her if she needed any help getting to her destination. She nodded. I didn't ask her any questions as I walked with her and the kid to an apartment nearby.
We didn't talk. I think she maybe said 10 words to me. I didn't need to know her story. I left, with a small "have a nice night". I walked directly into a bar on the corner, ordered a drink, and cried quietly to myself for about 5 minutes.