Human Kindness! Chivalry is not dead!

Many men on the busses can learn a lesson from this. My bus in the morning is usually standing room only. It's amazing the kindness people show, especially the older generation. I think many men could take lessons from this one kind gentleman.

Last Tuesday the bus was packed this particular morning. Standing room only for the last 8 people on the bus. One older woman stood wondering where she was going to hold on to keep her balance. One older gentleman packed up his book and belongings and set his bag next to me. Knowing what he was going to do I moved my foot next to it so it wouldn't slide across the floor. He smiled and said, "Thank you." And offered his seat to this woman. She embarassingly declined but as the bus lurched forward she lost her balance. She was caught from a nasty fall by 2 other men sitting close by, and encouraged to sit. She did sit very thankfully and the other men remained standing. They encouraged the older man to sit and he declined. They both sat back down and after some time I noticed the older man having trouble standing. At that point I got up and asked him to please sit. He did, he was sweating from trying to keep his own balance. He again thanked me. I at that point sat on the floor and we talked.

Since then each time he sees me he reaches for my hand gives it a light squeeze and a smile and moves to sit down.

I am a firm believer in you reap what you sow...Today I think I got my payback.

As I left work today I saw my bus coming off the freeway. I ran to the bus stop...As I got there the bus was approaching I turned to wave and let him know I was waiting my backpack flew open and out flew my laptop and all the paper and notebooks that were in it. All over the bus stop and all over the road. As I frantically picked up everything just knowing the bus was going to continue on a man bent down next to me grabbing some paper and said, "Are you getting on the bus?" I told him yes, and he proceeded to pick up a stack of stuff and take it onto the bus.

As I looked up and got on the bus I realized the bus driver had stopped, parked his bus in the street blocking traffic and stopped to help me pick up the loose papers flying all over the road.
I was shocked, amazed and very, very grateful, more than I could tell him. Human kindness, random acts of kindness, or just plain helpful. One person, one act of kindness goes a long way.

I don't know his name, but I want to say again Thank you to the driver of the MT 232 at 4:32 on 112th St. NE. You know who you are if you ever read this. I can't say thank you enough!