Friday, June 11, 2010

Do the Right Thing

Yesterday my Facebook status read: Is disgusted by the apathy he witness today in Westbrook. I helped an elderly couple to their car. I had to lift his legs while she pushed him. I closed my store and did the right thing as people stood and watched. She was struggling and needed help and no one came until I did the right thing. God is good and he will transform your life.

The full story is here. I was talking on the phone to another Haggar manager when I look out into the court yard. I see this elderly woman struggling to pull this elderly man along in some kind of chair. There was plenty of people all around them watching and doing or saying nothing. The lady face was clearly in anguish. I was the only one working in the store and I was thinking to myself someone will help them. No one came. Finally I was like screw this. I locked my store up and ran over there to help them. She clearly was not strong enough to do this by herself. So I decided that if she could push him all I had to do was hold his legs up so he was not dragging them. It was rough I had to hold them up from one end of the mall to the other end. He had also gone to the bathroom on himself. When we reached the end I told her to bring the car around and I will wait with the gentleman. When she pulled up in the car the man could not physically move his legs. I had to move them for him. I practically held him like a baby to sit in the seat. The lady offered me twenty dollars but I refused and I told her I was just doing the right thing. She yelled at me to take the money and demanded it. I did but I really felt bad. I was just doing the right thing. It broke my heart to see this woman struggling. It made me mad that as we passed other stores no one else offered to help.

Now here is the moral to my story. The old Anthony would have looked noticed and probably would have said someone else will help them and blah blah blah. Since I been trying to live a more Christ like life some days are better than others I looked out saw someone in need and decided to act on it.

Here are two comments from my friends from my fb status.

Sergio Bichao
For some reason, people in densely populated areas seem to be afraid or reluctant to help others. Maybe it's because we're afraid of embarrassing people if we offer them help. It might also be because we're all supposed to be minding our own business and to help a stranger requires us to completely change our mindset in an instant. I also read ... See Moresomewhere that most people think "someone else" will step in to help. The couple you helped were fortunate that in this case there actually was someone else

Lev Zilbermintz
Yes, this is disgusting. It is called bystander apathy. That is what Professor David Barnes taught us in Sociology 101 class, back in 1992

2 comments:

  1. Never be angry at the masses. Be grateful God allowed so many to witness you doing the right thing. Love flows from those willing to serve others. I am proud to call you my friend.

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  2. Friend, brother,

    Two things come to mind as I read this. I know I'm the last person anyone would expect to be quoting scripture, but we've talked about this. Despite my lack of faith, I really like Jesus. He has much to say to everybody, regardless of to whom anyone is praying. Forewarned, the first is that Jesus said some beautiful things about charity and the way in which we should carry it out. I draw your attention specifically to Matthew 6:

    "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

    Furthermore, (and perhaps I am further unqualified to make this point as I'm a cynical, bitter bastard, but still) I compel you to be much slower in judging our fellow brothers and sisters (who are all in various states of communion and opposition with your beliefs and those of Christian faiths).

    There is still good here, even though we may not show it at all the right times. There is still good here, and if I understand it correctly, Jesus died with the expectation that there would continue to be good in men's hearts up til the very end.

    It is too early for us to abandon hope in ourselves or in each other.

    Eddie

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