Things We Leave Behind Part 2

Part 2

"Are you from Guyana?"

"No."

"India?"

"No."

"Trinidad?"

"No."

"Oh."

"I look like I'm from India?"

"Yes, that's why I asked."

A regular afternoon that began with a simple question. The young lady sitting on the bus alone just looking out the window. Headphones on her ears and music blasting from it. Her I-Pod in shuffle playing whatever randomly came up.

"Are you going to the Bronx?"

"Yes."

"Me too."

"Okay."

"I'm surrounded by Brazil, Colombia, and other countries."

"I'm from the caribbean."

"Are you near Brazil?"

"Closer to Puerto Rico and Haiti is next door."

"Yes, yes I know."

The girl put her headphones back on and listened to music.

"Cross Bronx and Beach Avenue, do you know where it is?"

"Huh?"

"I'm going to Cross Bronx and Beach Avenue, do you know where it is?"

"Yes, that's also my stop."

"Well last time I visited the Bronx we got lost. Walked the opposite direction and had to pay 10 dollars for a cab..."

The woman probably her late 60's, went on for about  an hour talking about language differences, the difficulties of learning English, and how horrible it was to see young guys with their pants below their butts.

The young lady March, thinking about her own problems and how much she wanted to listen to music. Music was the only thing keeping her away from thinking. 

Why did she talk to much? The girl placed one headphone on her ear, then the other.

Every time the woman said something she would take it off and stop the music.

Annoyed!

Was it hard to understand she preferred to listen to music?

"The airplanes are very close."

"Yes, the airport is nearby."

"Are you going to help me get to my friend's home?"

"Where is it?"

"Well I know there is a park. You sit there just if you're tired or something. It's not very big." With her fingers she drew an imaginary triangle to give March a picture of the place.

The girl had an idea of where the place was. She thought about how much she would have to walk to catch her next bus. What did it matter? She'll help the lady anyways.

It's always good to put your problems aside and help someone else, right? Maybe March wasn't feeling at her best. But she always did feel good about helping someone else.

She got off the bus by the train station.

The woman wrapped her arm around March's arm and slowly began walking. It was just a couple of blocks.

It felt nice to March to walk with the older lady holding her arm. It reminded her at a moment where she walked with her grandmother the same way.

They walked until they spotted the park. As soon as the park was in sight the woman happily pointed to the home. 

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Oh yes, this is the home. Thank you so much." She places a kiss on March's cheek. "God bless you! Thank you so much for helping me."

"Anytime."

March crossed the street but look back until the woman went inside the house. 

She waited just to make sure she was no longer needed.

What begin as a bad day, ended up placing a smile on March's lips.

Even if it's a little thing, do something for those who have need of a man's help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.  For, remember, you don't live in a world all your own.  Your brothers are here too.  ~Albert Schweitzer