I Didn't Have To Ask
At lunch today in the cafeteria the European Union and I were having a typical lunch. Doctors, Patients, Staff members, all going about their day as usual. The cafeteria is a fairly open space, and the noise level around 12:30 PM is usually a dull roar. I hardly notice a man with a cane sit down at the table next to us, but I hear him shout, "DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" after his iced tea hits the floor.
The woman directly facing him immediately gets up, touches his arm gently, and says, "I'll get you some help." He is grateful. The Europeans are amazed. As the man struggles to open his plastic to-go container a woman from 2 tables down gets up to assist him. She even helps him move to the opposite side of the table so he's as far from the spill as possible. More amazement from the Europeans. The dull roar in the cafeteria is as quiet as possible for the next 20 minutes. There's a sociology experiment in here somewhere.
They agree that in Europe no one would ever get up to help this man. He's obviously a bit disheveled in his appearance and with the shouting, probably a bit off mentally. E remarks that in America there always seems to be someone there to help you at the moment you expect to be utterly alone. And when you do expect help, at customer service for instance, it's impossible to obtain. And, people are aggressive and selfish drivers here. But at other times so very helpful. It really is a curious bit of the culture here.
When we get up to leave, the man is happily enjoying his lunch and I smile that there are good people in the world. Some of them in my cafeteria.