ON THURSDAY evening as I sat on a bench in Coolidge Corner, I observed an elderly woman, seemingly homeless, attempt to get the attention of passersby. Many people ignored her, probably thinking — as I was — that she wanted money.
Then a handsome man rushing down the street, stopped, pulled out his earbuds, and asked, "Hi! How can I help you?" The lady replied, "These old bones just aren't what they used to be! Would you mind tying my shoes?"
He gladly agreed, helping her to sit down on a bench. He tied her laces into double-knots, and asked about her day. "I'm sorry to be such a bother," she apologized. "Where are you going?" He told her that he was headed to class in MIT, where he is a full-time student. She apologized again for the inconvenience and he responded, "No trouble at all. You are way more important than that class I need to make. People need to help each other out, right?"
The lady smiled, the man blew her a kiss, and off he went after making our world a better place.