On my way home Friday night, I saw a woman struggling with a full rolling cart and a box precariously balanced on top. She was pushing it down the sidewalk, but having difficulty getting it over cracks, etc. I asked if she needed help.
“Help?”, she looked at me hopefully. (English was obviously her second language, but she knew much more English than I know anything else.)
“I can help.” I said. I pointed to the box, and offered to carry it.
She smiled broadly and pointed to the box as well. I reached over to take it, after it seemed very clear I wasn’t trying to steal it… though how anyone would manage to run off with a big bulky box, I’m not certain.
The minute I started lifting the box off the cart, I realized it was HEAVY. From the writing on the box, it seems the box once held many plastic cups – but it most certainly did not now.
The woman gestured to the public storage facility up ahead, and indicated that’s where she was headed. We started off.
“Heavy?” she asked.
“It’s not too bad.” I replied. My rapidly reddening face and wheezing breaths probably told her otherwise. Still, we managed to walk down the block, across the street, and when we were close she let me know she could take it from there.
I figure I earned about ten “good deed” points. I wonder if I can redeem them in ice cream.
