Helping Hands on the Metro

There is an old Russian proverb, Старость--не радость (I guess one translation would be, "Old age is no fun"). I saw a touching demonstration of this today on the Metro in the Vokzalna Station. A very feeble woman, quite aged, was exiting the subway car with an armful of parcels, when she tripped and fell directly in the doorway. One of her parcels fell partway into the crack leading down to the tracks. Immediately three men, one middle aged and two teenagers or young men in their early twenties, sprang to her assistance, and without a word lifted her gently up and gathered up her parcels, leading her to a bench on the platform, where she sat weeping. One of the young men, with pierced ears and a red streaked Mohawk hair style, had reached quickly into the crack between the car and the platform to retrieve her last parcel. By this time the train was rushing out of the station, and the last I saw, this poor little soul was seated in tears on the bench.

There is an innate goodness in all people regardless of their nationalities, religions, political persuasions or (in this case) the color of their Mohawk. It is comforting to know that the spirit of peace, cooperation, compassion, friendship, good humor and Wisdom runs strong in every human heart.

Afterwards, I discussed this little incident with Olga, and she commented on how the Metro is really a place for healthy adults, and not for children, the elderly or the handicapped. She said that when children are brought on the Metro, that parents will scarcely dare to let go of their hands.