OnlyaMan…
佚名/Anonymous
Atf?irstglanceshelookedlikeanyotheroldwoman.Ploddingalonginthesnow,alone,neglected,headbowed.Peoplepassingonthebusycitysidewalkavertedtheireyes,lestsheremindthemthatpainandsufferingdidnotstoptocelebrateChristmas.
Ayoungcouple,smiling,talking,laughing,armsloadedwithChristmaspresents,tooknonoticeoftheoldwoman.
Amotherwithtwosmallchildrenhurriedby,ontheirwaytograndmother』shouse.Theytooknonotice.
AministerwalkedbyproudlycarryinghisBibleinhisrighthand,likeawellarmedChristiansoldier.Buthismindwasstayedonheavenlythings,andhetooknonotice.
Ifthesepeoplehadnoticed,theywouldhaveseenthattheoldwomanworenoshoes.Shewalkedbarefootintheiceandsnow.
Withbothhandstheoldwomangatheredherwornbuttonlessovercoatatthecollartokeepoutthewind.Shestoppedandstoodbentandbowedatthebusstop.Aredandbluescarfcoveringherhead,shewaitedforthedowntownbus.
Agentlemancarryinganimportant-lookingbriefcasewaitednearher,nottooclosely.Afterall,shecouldhavesomethingcontagious.
Ateenagegirlalsowaitedforthebus.Sheglancedrepeatedlyattheoldwoman』sfeet,butsaidnothing.
Thebusarrivedandtheoldwomanslowly,painfullyboarded.Shesatontheside-waysseatjustbehindthedriver.Thegentlemanandtheteenagegirlhurriedtotherear.Themansharingtheseatwiththeoldwomanshuff?leduneasilyandtwirledhisthumbs.「Senile,」hethought.
Alittleboypointedattheoldwoman.
「Look,mother,thatoldladyisbarefoot.」
Theembarrassedmotherslappedhishanddown.「Don』tpointatpeople,Andrew.It』snotpolitetopoint.」Shelookedoutthewindow.
「Shemusthavegrownchildren,」aladyinafurcoatsuggested.「Herchildrenshouldbeashamedofthemselves.」Shefeltmorallysuperior,becauseshetookgoodcareofhermother.
Ateacherseatednearthemiddleofthebussteadiedthebagofgiftsonherlap.「Don』twepayenoughtaxestohandlesituationslikethis?」shesaidtoafriendseatedbesideher.
「Peoplehavetolearntosavetheirmoney,」awell-dressedyoungcollegemanadded.「Ifthatoldwomanhadsavedwhenshewasyoung,shewouldn』tbesufferingnow.It』sherownfault.」
Andallthesepeoplebeamedwithsatisfactionthattheiracumenhaddeliveredsuchtrenchantanalysis.
But,akindbusinessmanfeltoffendedbythismurmuringdetachmentofhisfellowcitizens.Hereachedintohiswalletandtookoutacrisptwenty-dollarbill.Hestrodeproudlydowntheaisleandpressedthebillintotheoldwoman』sunsteady,wrinkledhand.「Here,Madam,getyourselfsomeshoes.」
Theoldwomannoddedherheadinthanks.Thebusinessmanstrodebacktohisseat,feelingpleasedwithhimself,thathewasamanofaction.
Atthenextstop,ayoungmanboardedthebus.Heworeaheavybluejacket,amaroonscarfaroundhisneck,andagraywoolencappulleddownoverhisears.AwirerunningunderthecapandintohisearwasconnectedtoaWalkman.Theyoungmanjiggledhisbodyintimetomusiconlyheheard.Hepaidhisfareandploppeddownonthesidewaysseatdirectlyacrossfromtheoldwoman.