Helping a Blind Man: Kindness & Care Should Always Be the Norm

In a previous blog post, “Letting a Blind Man Fall,” I shared my thoughts about Erik Reece’s account of ignoring a blind man who had fallen on a subway platform and whose cane had broken. Roberto Giannicola, a friend, colleague, and reader of my blog wrote to share this story with me, a lovely corrective to Reece’s lack of response:

"[Your blog] reminded me of one of my encounters with a blind man and his dog in the metro in San Francisco, and other times where I saw blind people. First I have to say that my experience in the Bay area is much more positive when it comes to seeing other people helping, directing, guiding, etc., blind individuals around the city. I saw a blind man sitting in the seat next to the doors assigned for the elderly or people with a handicap. The guide dog was quietly resting at his feet. I could see that the dog was feeling ill; he was gagging and at one point he vomited right in front of the man’s feet. I was standing right next to them and the train was rather full with many people standing. We all saw the vomit, but we didn’t know what to do. There was no way to scoop or wipe it up. So I leaned down and told the blind man not to move his feet because his dog vomited two inches in front of his right shoe. I was hoping to guide him out and around it on the way out (every other person would do the same), then later ask someone at the station to call for a cleanup. However, the man seemed to be prepared for that. He reached into his backpack and pulled a large stack of paper towels and a plastic bag. He started reaching down to clean the mess. I stopped him because I didn’t think he could do a good job, took his paper towels and wiped the floor clean, then put them all in his plastic bag. He thanked me, and then the dog guided him out the doors.

"Many people saw what I did, and while I was standing waiting for my stop, a woman sitting about 10 feet on the other side, yelled out: 'Sir, you are an angel, that was very kind of you to do that.' I didn’t know what to answer; I didn’t feel special, I only felt normal. I just waved at her with my hand and smiled, then looked away. While I appreciated her comments, and I admit that I did feel good about helping that man and dog, because I had seen such things around me before, I thought it was the just norm."

Thanks, Roberto, for reminding us that indeed these simple acts of kindness and care should always be the norm.

Zoe Weil
Author of Most Good, Least Harm and Above All, Be Kind

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