Human Kindness

[stewart38]

Travelling on the London ground today I saw a women crying, she was sitting down about 3 seats away from me. Like the usual 99% of people I shuffled uneasily ,carried on reading my paper and glance up occasionally to try and catch a ‘view’

After about 2 stops one women standing near her actually asked if she was ok and a few stops later another women who sat next to her asked if she was ok

Both times she nodded and got off at the station before me

This moved me as in the world of indifference two people actually went out of there way to ask just 'if she was ok'. Not what her life problems were about just that are you ‘ok’

I haven’t a clue why she was crying

With that women Alison Davis Jumping to her death with her son Ryan at the Humber bridge maybe next time I see someone crying ill ask just if their 'ok'

However we British don’t like to interfere

[Aleks]

[Only] Auntie Barb will understand this:
"Thank you for your human kindness!"

[TiggsTours]

I was on the underground a few years ago now, it was quite late in the evening, and this woman got on, she was dressed in a business suit (obviously been out after work) and was disgustingly drunk, she was loud and abusive, and a few people sitting near where she sat decided to move, nobody said anything.

A couple of stops later a homeless guy got on, he was everso polite, and aplogised first for disturbing our evening, and then politely asked if anybody could spare a bit of loose change to help to try and get a hot drink inside him to see him through the night. This woman just let off! She got up and started shouting and screaming at him, swearing and calling him all the names under the sun. His reaction? to politely and quietly apologise, and try to move past her (probably a reaction he was used to receiving).

Suddenly this man at the other end of the carraige leapt up, started shouting at the homeless guy too, and knocked his cup of loose change out of his hands, still he stayed polite and quiet, and seeing him scrabbling on the floor for the few pennies he had collected is one of the saddest things I have ever seen.

To be honest, I was scared, there was a drunken woman, an irate man and this poor guy all in a very loud abusive fight, which could easily turn physical, and like a few others, I tried to ignore it, hope it would stop, but when this guy knocked his cup out his hand, I couldn't take it anymore, so I got up and calmly explained to the guy what the true situation was, that the woman was the abusive one, and the homeless guy had done nothing wrong. Luckily he listened to me, accepted what I said, and together the 3 of us started picking up the guy's money, after I made a few choice words to our fellow travellers about us, telling them what I thought of them sitting doing nothing and allowing a girl to be the only one with the guts to try to sort things out.

The woman was still being really loud and abusive, and the guards at the next stop noticed, so they leapt on to the train. They took one look at the situation and saw a smart looking woman in a business suit, obviously upset, and a homeless guy, and there's no prizes for guessing who they thought was wrong. The guy got dragged off the train, and they said they were calling the police. Again, it was only me who had the balls to get off the train and explain the true situation to the police. Luckily, they too accepted my version of events, aplogised to the guy and said they wouldn't call the police. However, obviously he did not have a ticket, so was escorted from the station.

He was so nice to me, he said thank you so kindly and mentioned how moved he was that I would defend him, as, in his experience, so few people would.

I never saw him again, I would have liked to have done, but now I am far more inclined to stop to help someone who looks like they need it. Its easy to forget that behind that "homeless guy" or "crying girl" is a real person, with a real story, its all too easy to ignore everyone around us, I hope nobody ignores me if I'm ever in a position where only the help of a stranger will do.

I wonder how many suicides could be stopped each year, if only a stranger were to stop and say "Are you OK?".

[Tazmanian Devil]

I personally hate to see people upset so generally do ask if they are O.K (and give them a tissue). Maybe this is because I am generally to soft for my own good but I don't care.

When I see people upset whether it be a stranger or a close friend it really makes me feel sad and thats not a feeling I like, so I try to make things better!! For this reason my mother wants me to follow in her footsteps and become a councillor!! I personally think NOT!! I am quite happy caring for unwell people of other natures but would never just pass a person by who seems upset.

[Donna]

and a few people sitting near where she sat decided to move, nobody said anything.

It's the fact that people are too afraid to say anything these days and rather not get involved in such situations that makes people like her think they can just go off on one like that in public. No wonder there is so much anti social behaviour around us. Nobody does a enough to try and put it under control!

To be honest, I was scared, there was a drunken woman, an irate man and this poor guy all in a very loud abusive fight, which could easily turn physical, and like a few others, I tried to ignore it, hope it would stop, but when this guy knocked his cup out his hand, I couldn't take it anymore, so I got up and calmly explained to the guy what the true situation was, that the woman was the abusive one, and the homeless guy had done nothing wrong.

Well done you for having the guts to do that. It's people like you that can make a difference. I can fully understand why people don't want to get involved until things go to far. It's a fear of being attacked, but I couldn't cope seeing someone like that homeless man, being ripped into like that. It would really upset me and like you, I'd have said something too! Sometimes it's a risk you just have to take otherwise just spend the rest of the day feeling guilty about it.

Its easy to forget that behind that "homeless guy" or "crying girl" is a real person, with a real story, its all too easy to ignore everyone around us, I hope nobody ignores me if I'm ever in a position where only the help of a stranger will do.

I personally wouldn't find it easy to ignore. If I see someone crying, for the fear of them doing something stupid, I feel it's totally necessary to ask if they're ok. I've done it in the past and you can tell it relieves them a little. However, I wouldn't ask why they are crying as that is non of my business, but just asking if they are ok is enough to help. If they wanted to go into detail, then I'd listen. That's what most people want these days, is somebody who will listen to them.

I wonder how many suicides could be stopped each year, if only a stranger were to stop and say "Are you OK?".

I think it could make a difference.