I Will Help
I am in the minority in this apartment building. My guess is less than a quarter of the tenants are white here. The landlord treats most tenants like shit. Not me though, because to an unintelligent person, I come across as whip-smart. It takes effort not to yell when I catch him treating other tenants like shit. He gets away with it because a lot of them don't (or barely) speak English.
One interesting thing I noticed about living here is that the non-white tenants are much more friendly than the white ones. They hold doors open. The other day an old black man using a cane moved past me on the stairs to help me haul a laundry cart up the staircase. I felt so guilty letting someone with a handicap do something physical to help me. They always say hello. With eye-contact and everything. They move out of the way on the stairs. If I drop something they rush to pick it up. Last week when I was going into my apartment a little baby going for a walk in the hallway rushed in behind me.
His mother zoomed up and started apologizing to me. I laughed and said it was okay, and waited for the baby to go to her. She was standing right in front of my doorway, looking strangely hesitant, and for a minute I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized - she wouldn't come in because I hadn't invited her. She really thought she couldn't go after her own child? Obviously I encouraged her in, and we exchanged a flurry of "I'm so sorry's" and "Oh it's okay, he's so cute's" while she got him to walk out.
The other day - the one where the heat was out of control - I went to Trader Joe's. I was shopping for myself and a friend who's out of commission. Walking home from the bus stop, sweat was pouring down me as I carried four heavy bags. My friend's little girl had come with me and she was carrying the two lightest bags. For me, they would be light. For her, they were heavy, and we stopped to rest every third of a block or so.
When we were about three blocks from home, a Vietnamese woman came up to us. "Do you live at 123 Willow?" she asked. Surprised, I said yes. She pointed at the girl and explained that she recognized her and also lived there. Then, she took the bags from her and said to me, "I'm going home; I will help." I was so shocked. I was blown away. Who ever does that?
She carried the two bags all the way up to my front door on the second floor. I almost hugged her.
One interesting thing I noticed about living here is that the non-white tenants are much more friendly than the white ones. They hold doors open. The other day an old black man using a cane moved past me on the stairs to help me haul a laundry cart up the staircase. I felt so guilty letting someone with a handicap do something physical to help me. They always say hello. With eye-contact and everything. They move out of the way on the stairs. If I drop something they rush to pick it up. Last week when I was going into my apartment a little baby going for a walk in the hallway rushed in behind me.
His mother zoomed up and started apologizing to me. I laughed and said it was okay, and waited for the baby to go to her. She was standing right in front of my doorway, looking strangely hesitant, and for a minute I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized - she wouldn't come in because I hadn't invited her. She really thought she couldn't go after her own child? Obviously I encouraged her in, and we exchanged a flurry of "I'm so sorry's" and "Oh it's okay, he's so cute's" while she got him to walk out.
The other day - the one where the heat was out of control - I went to Trader Joe's. I was shopping for myself and a friend who's out of commission. Walking home from the bus stop, sweat was pouring down me as I carried four heavy bags. My friend's little girl had come with me and she was carrying the two lightest bags. For me, they would be light. For her, they were heavy, and we stopped to rest every third of a block or so.
When we were about three blocks from home, a Vietnamese woman came up to us. "Do you live at 123 Willow?" she asked. Surprised, I said yes. She pointed at the girl and explained that she recognized her and also lived there. Then, she took the bags from her and said to me, "I'm going home; I will help." I was so shocked. I was blown away. Who ever does that?
She carried the two bags all the way up to my front door on the second floor. I almost hugged her.
Labels: On the Homefront, Pounding the pavement, Shock and Awe, Shopping
posted by Green at 6/14/2010 10:44:00 AM
4 Comments:
a) I love this.
b) In what SlackMom would term the "old neighborhood" this is just what you DID. Even here at HoboVille Central, it's what we do.
I love this. It's lovely. Loverly! I want to hug that lady too.
"Who ever does that?"
People like you, Green. You were shopping for your sick friend. You have often reached out to those in need.
I think this demonstrates Karma theory nicely. You give so much of yourself, and others sometimes see a kindred spirit, and give back to you in a similar way.
I'm glad people here are being nice to you.
Sure beats that horrible apartment-mate you had before with the dog issues who stole your money!!
Oh yeah, the money! Did you ever get the money back for her, or find it? I really hoped you it just turned up one day. That would be the greatest day wouldn't it?
C
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