Thursday, June 26, 2008

Gotta Love New Yorkers

So last night yours truly and my beloved were on the subway heading home when we saw something you happily don't see every day: a man having an epileptic seizure.

It was around 9 PM. It was a lovely summer night. The train was merrily chugging along, the usual smorgasbord of diverse New Yorkers on board chatting with one another. Suddenly a quiet young man on one of the seats began to shake and convulse very violently. This was very clearly a seizure.

Without a moment's thought, without a shred of hesitation, the riders rushed to help him. They picked him up and, as the train pulled into the station, carried him out collectively and put him on the station floor. Cellphones were flashed out and people began calling out for the conductor. Someone offered a bottle of water (not that it would really have helped) and eventually one of the conductors assured us that everything was under control. We got back on the train and it headed off, everyone confident that this young man was being taken care of.

Popular culture likes to imagine New Yorkers as a bunch of rude, super-selfish money hogs but last night proved what a shallow stereotype that is. I saw the best of my fellow citizens and saw how we New Yorkers solve problems in a fast and efficient manner. I was never more proud to live here.

1 comment:

  1. That story gave me serious goosebumps. This city is full of great people and I hate when people knock it. I only wish everyone knew how great it is. I still have relatives that are afraid to visit for goodness sake!!! It's just silly.

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