It’s the little things, which catch my eye, that seem to force me to write on them later on. This morning on the train coming into work, the car was crowded and quiet. One of those almost eerie rides where there is almost no conversation, just the sound of steel wheels running on steel rails. People were reading their scriptures, newspapers or fiddling with their ipods, radios or their digital music devices. I would have been reading too but in the anxiety to leave the house this morning I left my Stephen King on the dining room table. Again, on days when I forget my read I cat nap into the city. But today, I was just staring toward the back of the train. I saw a small Indian kid( as in from India) about 10 or 11 he could not have been much older. He was actually riding in the stair well of at the rear of our car. Thee were other kids in the area he was in but did not seem to be with him. He seemed to be riding by himself. I am seeing more of this in the trains: kids riding by themselves. The kids are in transit to another school district from the district they live in. Parents are sending their kids to better school districts public or parochial. There is not a flood of kids but I am seeing more and more riding unescorted thru the city. We pull into 4500 South Station the doors open and close, some folks exit the train and a few more climb a board . The doors are shut and the warning alarms are sounding down the seconds till the train eases out of the stop to the next station down the line. We are about ready to pull out and I see a small brown hand reach forward and press the button which opens the doors. The little kid’s hand presses the button then the kid turns and disappears into the crowd on train. I at first think ‘ what a snot he is just trying to hold the train up’ but before I can finish my thought I see a gloved hand of a senior holding on to the doorway of the car, struggling to pull himself up the stairs. The old man slowly pulled himself into view as he climbed the steps onto our car. The old man’s face flushed from exertion looked like the skin from a pomegranate. He wore a woolen cap with flaps, which hung down over his ears and he gently wheezed. The old man reached the floor, turning to face the front of the car grabbed hold of the bar and the doors closed. He must have been running for the train as the doors first closed, the Indian kid saw this and pressed the door button and left. True this was a little thing, costing hardly any effort, and I do not think anyone else saw the old guy making for the train if they did o one cared. This little guy did. He took action saving the old guy from having to stand out in the cold for at least another twenty minutes. I doubt the old guy was even aware that someone had held the train up, had made the difference. I am pretty cynical at this stage in the game but every once in a while, something as simple as this action on this morning’s train gives me hope.
If I were filling these entries by category I would file this one under Miracles of Christmas. It may be just me but I am sensing more miracles this year then I have ever noted before or maybe because I am blogginng I am seeing more this which are miraculous.
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