At Least I Helped Her Up

The train was late again today, so I hustled on my walk to work. My boss isn’t in, so there’s no problem being late, but I like to challenge myself. If I’m trying to be fast, I find someone going faster than me and follow them, trying to keep up. Going from Market Street to Chestnut Street there was a white woman carrying two bags and putting quite the hustle in her bustle, so I followed her.

Ahead of the Hurrying Woman was a black girl taking her time. Instead of saying “excuse me” or going slower, the Hurrying Woman walked on a huge patch of ice next to the black girl. I like a challenge, so I still followed. As I walked by, I turned to look at the black girl…..

I kept following the Hurrying Woman. There was a car in the street she was crossing. She tried to quickly go around the car and SHE FELL ON THE ICE! I helped her up and I said, “You have to slow down, you can’t always be rushing around. Life is too short.” She said to me, “You don’t know my boss.” I said, “Say ‘Fuck him.’”

“You don’t know my boss.” This person allows her day to be ruined, puts herself at risk, and seemed genuinely unhappy because the person who signs her paycheck doesn’t tolerate a minute or two of tardiness. I know the economy is bad, but living in fear is definitely a reason to get a new job. Is money so important? I learned a lesson because of her, though.
Today’s lesson: Slow down or you might fall on the ice.
Today’s other lesson: Don’t challenge myself to go fast, challenge myself to do better.

……And when I turned to look at the black girl taking her time, she was smiling.