Me and the Lady Who Fell

The other day, I was in the Government Center, heading downstairs on the escalator.  I noticed a blind lady riding the up escalator.  She had her hands full with her lunch in a styrofoam container, her walking stick, her purse and a large drink.   I passed her on my way down, her way up.  Another girl was riding down at the same time I was.

As I got off of my escalator, I heard a loud sound from upstairs.  I looked up and didn't see the lady I had passed.  I thought, "she must have fallen."  I jumped on the up escalator and saw her laying at the top. The girl that rode down with me looked up, saw the lady laying there and walked off.  I couldn't just leave her laying there.

So, I rode up and got right up next to her.  She was in my way so I couldn't get off and the escalator kept moving pushing me into her.  I couldn't reach the button to stop the escalator, so I almost fell on top of her several times.  Finally another woman walked over and was able to stop the escalator.  Thank God!

I asked the lady who had fallen if she was ok.  She was still laying there.  She didn't answer me.  I asked again.   (the lady who stopped the escalator was just standing there).   I looked at her and said, "I don't think she can hear me."   I noticed she had hearing aids so I got down closer to her and said louder, "Are you alright?"  She finally answered and said she was ok.   Her lunch (chicken wings, greens, bread and a huge cup of water) was all over the floor. 

She was able to get up from laying flat and was feeling around on the floor trying to find her lunch.  I asked if her knees were ok.  She said she wasn't hurt. I told her that her lunch was all over the floor and she said, "I know."  I said, you can't eat this.  I'll clean it up and throw it away.  I kneeled down and my knee got all wet from her drink (and God knows what else).  I cleaned up the mess and told her I was sorry she had fallen.  She said she was ok and thanked me for helping her and wandered off.

I felt sorry for her. I'm sure she was so embarrassed that she missed the top of the escalator and that she dropped her lunch everywhere.  I'm not sure why she didn't take the elevators, it would have been much easier for her and the elevator bank is right by the escalators.  So, who knows why she made that decision.  I was just glad I was there to help her.