Good Deed of The Day

I was waiting for the Santa Teresa light rail when I saw this old man walking around to people with a paper in hand. He was speaking a different language and people were brushing him off or ignoring him. He finally comes up to me and begins to talk but I couldn’t understand him. All I knew was that he was speaking Chinese. Seeing the confusion on my face, he unfolds the paper he’s holding.

Written on it is a note saying “Excuse me, I dont speak English. Could help me to take VTA bus/LRT? Direction. Going to Santa Teresa light rail to take bus 68 to Gilroy.”

Since his destination was just a stop after mine. I decided to help him and take him to the bus. The look of joy and relief was present on his face. We sat together on the light rail as he kept looking at a picture of his family that I guessed was waiting for him in Gilroy. We tried to have a conversation but it was hard since we couldn’t understand what the other was saying but he found it funny and would laugh here and there. We finally got off at Santa Teresa as I helped him board onto the bus. I told the driver his situation as i told the old man I was going to leave now. He turned to me with this huge smile on his face as he nodded his head and said something in Chinese. I had a feeling he was saying thank you. I nodded back as I got off and watched the bus drive away.

I may not have gained money or an award for helping him, but knowing that I was able to help someone and the smile he gave me at the end was all worth it knowing he can go back to his family.