The Looks That Wouldn’t Go Away
As it sped down the busy city street, the bus trembled. People were heading home from work, parents were with their kids, and students were going home. A young man in a white tank top was sitting in the back of the bus with his eyes closed and his headphones on. He was moving slowly to the beat. His arms were covered in brilliant tattoos that looked like they were telling stories with the lines and colors on his flesh.
Not too far away, there was an old woman sitting. She had a scarf over her silver hair and held an ancient leather bag in her hands. She glanced at him for a moment before turning away. But in a matter of seconds, her eyes went back to the swirls and shapes on his arms. She shook her head and grumbled to herself, as if every gaze validated her worst fears about “today’s youth.”
The young man didn’t notice. He could hear music and rhythm all around him. But the whispers weren’t just in her head anymore. Some others on the bus observed her and raised their eyebrows, while others smiled. It was clear that things were growing tight.
The woman eventually lost it.
The Battle
The engine of the bus was quieter than her voice.
She yelled, “What has happened to the young people of today?” “Why do you put such awful things on your body?” “That’s too bad!”
The young man blinked, took out one earphone, and turned to her with calm interest.
“Ma’am, is there a problem?” He asked in a kind way.
“Are you bothering me?” she responded with a laugh. “That body will never get you to heaven.” It’s a terrible sin! “How can this world have people who hurt themselves like this?”
The bus went quiet. People looked over. Some people in the back adjusted their seats so they could see.
The young man’s face stayed calm. “I haven’t done anything to hurt you.” I have the right to choose what I want for my body.
But what he said didn’t help her at all. They simply made her furious.
Words That Are Hot
She cried, “Young people used to respect their elders!” They didn’t say anything in response. Because of people like you, things have grown worse. You go around with decorations that look like demons! Your parents would be quite ashamed. Those artworks will make it hard for you to find a nice wife. “The Lord will punish you by making you walk around this world until you realize what you did wrong!”
She crossed herself, held her shivering hands up, and her voice broke. “Your hands may get weak if you hurt your body again.” May every new mark weigh heavily on your soul!
The young man let out a sigh. He stopped yelling and arguing. He only glanced out the window as the city passed by. She shook her head harder since he was so quiet.
“My blood pressure is going up because of you, rude boy!” she yelled loudly enough for everyone on the bus to hear. “Thank God I never had kids like you.” “The world is lost today!”
Some individuals on the bus stared at each other and weren’t sure if they should get involved. Most people don’t want to talk. The bus kept going.
Then, all of a sudden, everything changed.
The Quick Change
The old lady’s hand went up to her chest. She grew pale, and her lips shook as she tried to breathe.
“Oh… I don’t feel well… “I can’t breathe,” she replied in a whisper, her voice shaking with dread.
The people on the bus stopped moving. Some people behaved like they didn’t see, while others quickly turned away. The mood on the bus went from uncomfortable to frightening, but no one did anything.
The young man with tattoos was the only other person.
He pulled off his headphones and got extremely close to her. His voice was steady and strong, and it could be heard all throughout the car.
He said in a gentle voice, “Grandma, I’m a paramedic.”
The words surprised everyone. It was like the air itself stopped. The child she had just sentenced was the only one who knew what to do.
A Different Side of Him
He got right to work. He took off her scarf, opened the top of her sweater to make it easier for her to breathe, and lifted her up so she could sit more comfortably. He did all of this with the skill of someone who had done it before.
“Take deep breaths,” he advised. “Don’t worry.” Don’t lose your mind.
The bus got quiet as the people watched. His hands were firm, and his voice was calming. He was nothing like the “rude boy” she had called him a few minutes before.
He quickly checked her pulse and then pulled out his phone. “Her blood pressure isn’t stable, and she’s having spasms,” he told the operator. He spoke clearly, professionally, and urgently, but not in a panic.
“We need an ambulance right away.” The bus is headed east on Route 47, near the crossroads of Maple and 3rd. The patient is an older woman who is having chest pain and her vital signs are not stable.
He hung up and stayed right next to her, holding her shivering hand in his ink-covered hand. “Hold on a second, Grandma. The physicians are coming. You will be OK. “I’m right here.”
Her breathing become steady as time went on. Her pale face relaxed with relief, but her eyes showed something else: shock, shame, and even sadness. She wanted to say something, but all she could do was nod a little.
Thoughts in the Silence
As the bus drew to a stop, the sirens sounded louder. Paramedics stepped on board and put her on a stretcher right away. But the woman continued glancing at the young man while they worked.
The tattoos she had despised a moment ago didn’t seem to bother her anymore. What mattered was how nice he was, how strong his hands were, and how wonderful his voice sounded.
He carefully put his things away and put his earplugs in his pocket as she was led away. The other people, who had been quiet and done nothing, looked at him with modest eyes.
Back then, the other people looked large. It was the other people.
The Lesson That Was Not Taught
Later, folks who had observed what happened told their friends and family about it in private. A lot of people thought that day taught the grandmother how to be humble. Some individuals thought that the real message was meant for people who stayed still in their chairs, while only the young man she had insulted did something.
It was easy to see what was real. Kindness doesn’t wear a uniform. There is no one way to exhibit compassion. And sometimes the person you criticize the most is the one who will aid you when you need it most.
The older woman may never look at tattoos the same way again. And maybe, just maybe, some of the individuals on that bus saw things differently when they got off.
Because heroes don’t always look like that. They sometimes wear headphones, ride the bus like everyone else, and have their story written on their skin. And sometimes, those same hands keep your heart beating when it looks like it’s about to quit.