Lending a Helping Hand
By MrMalice
@MrMalice (82)
United States
February 11, 2008 10:22pm CST
So, I was walking threw the mall today and something happened that suprised me. As I was walking, a larger gentleman bumped into a small woman and knocked her purse off of her shoulder.
Now, being raised to always help a woman in destress, I quickly crossed over to her, picked up her purse and held it out for her to take. She immediately snatched it up and shot me a look of pure terror and slight discust. SHe then quickly threw the bag on her shoulder and walked away....
I didn't even recieve a thank you or a smile! Now I relive that my appreance can be daunting at times. I do have an 8 inch mohawk, wear a large leather jacket and stand at 6'1 and 185 pounds, but I don't look scary. Plus I smiled at her and said "here let me get that for you.
So am I to understand that in today's society people don't even expect kindness anymore. Personally I think that woman thought I trying to steal her purse. But really, where is this world going when we can't even think that some one may help in a time of need? What do you think?
3 people like this
10 responses
@Ranziell (8)
• Canada
12 Feb 08
Good for you sir. And we say so, not because you have done something extraordinary, but for doing what is simply right, polite, and what no one else did. Something as trivial as helping an old woman recover her purse should be common place and performed by all people. OK, that made me sound like a g/d boyscout, hahaha, but seriously, we could all do to help each other out more. I live in a very snowy part of Canada, and winter is one of the best times of year to bring people, and strangers together. Are cars get stuck in the snow and ice, and it sucks, but we work together and help each other out when we can. Anyways, boo urns to the d that pushed her, (then again he may be a great guy normally, might just be having a bad day), and rock on for you buddie!
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
12 Feb 08
that's really rude of her... i'm sorry that you have to experience something like that when you are trying to actually be kind and helpful... may be she doesn't trust people... may be she is still in shock after somebody knocks her off... there are a lot of reasons for the way she reacts to you... but please don't stop doing good deeds to other people because of this one incident... we need more helpful people like you... take care and God Bless you...
@azeemjz (445)
• Pakistan
12 Feb 08
The society now-a-days going that way that no body trust others and our close family members whom we call the relatives behave such a way when mom or dad passes away then there behavior changes. And many cases that I have seen after suffering from them the person is not mentally able to trust any one so they behave like that you faced.
@bluereddog1990 (35)
• United States
12 Feb 08
the world is cruel. I was always taught to be kind and considerate of others. Now days, you just don't see that very much. Everyone is just so sure that you are out to get them.regardless of what you look like or what you wear the fact still remains you were trying to do a good deed for someone. She should have at least said thank-you. Didn't her mamma teach her any manners?
@anonymili (3138)
•
15 Feb 08
Well firstly good for you that you still believe in helping people in this day and age when there is so much suspicion about people's motives. I guess the woman did assume you were going to mug her but even when you handed her the bag she didn't have the courtesy to thank you or feel embarrassed about suspecting your motives, well that goes to show how good her upbringing was! I don't care that society is like this, if I see someone who needs help and it's within my power to help them, I will continue to try to help them. I guess, being a woman, people are a lot less likely to be suspicious of me offering assistance but it's a shame. Your profile says you're 22 and older people are always complaining that the youth of today only think of themselves but when a young man such as yourself helps someone out and gets treated that way, you wouldn't be blamed for not wanting to bother anymore. Good on you though and hope you continue to try to help those in need. x
@AICIRT81 (847)
• United States
12 Feb 08
I'll say Thank you! Thank you! I think we need more people who help others! I love it when somebody grabs a door for me or holds an elevator especially when I got my hands full. (and with the baby, this is often the case) Kindness should be the rule and not the exception. I would think that when it handed the purse to her it would have been a clue that you were not trying to steal it. People are dumb sometimes!
@MrMalice (82)
• United States
12 Feb 08
Yeah, I find that the curtiousy is just not there in people anymore. I always find the time to hold doors for mothers, espcially. I can't imagine how difficult it is to bring children all over the place so I see holding the door as adding a tiny tiny little bit of help to a mother's life.
@nanayangel (7879)
• Philippines
12 Feb 08
Hi there MrMalice! That's kinda sad. Just shows that there are people who are finding it hard to trust other people. It was really nice of you and I hope that you felt good about helping even though your effort wasn't recognized at all. I hope that that won't stop you from helping other people in the future. Maybe the woman judged you from your appearance, or maybe would react to any other person just as she did to you. I just hope that there would be more people like you and maybe when that happen, the helpful ones will get less of that kind of reaction.
@cortney09 (1345)
• United States
12 Feb 08
I think that a lot of times people don't expect the help like you gave that women. Most people don't offer that kind of help. My husband and I get astonishing thank yous when we hold a door open for someone. I am not sure why though. I think it's great that you helped her, even though she didn't exactly seem thankful. I am hoping that she was just a little startled and that's why she didn't give you a response.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
12 Feb 08
If she was an older woman, she probably judged you by your appearance. When mohawks first appeared, they were worn by "punks" who loved Sid Vicious and other punk bands that were frightening to people who didn't appreciate that sort of music. Those punks usually acted tough and would even bump into people and casually key parked cars as they passed them, just as acts of rebellion. So, maybe she was remembering that kind of mohawk wearer!
I find the young kids today, for the most part, to be no different from my generation at their age. You have your good ones and your bad ones but the good far outnumbers the bad if you give them half a chance and don't avoid them.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
12 Feb 08
How rude of her. From my experience it is often the ones that look "normal" that you have good reason to be scared of! A little slightly of topic tale: Several years ago I was complaining that I had held a door for someone who did not have the manners to thank me as they went through. My friend told me to try the following: let them walk through and then call after them loudly "That's quite alright". When they turn around to look at you say "I thought that you said thank you". It works.
