More than ten years ago, I was waiting with a small group of strangers for the M60 bus to take me home from LaGuardia Airport. I noticed a brown box under the bench where a woman I didn’t know was sitting.
The bus pulled up, and we all got on.
All except for the box.
Did it belong to the woman who had been sitting above it? Was it a bomb? Wedding invitations? Trash?
Should I say something?
In NYC, there is a saying, “If you see something, say something.”
I said nothing.
The bus made one or two more stops … and then …
“Stop the bus!! Stop! I left something at the airport!”
It was the woman who had been sitting above the box.
Unfortunately, the bus couldn’t stop to let her off until it reached the next stop, which was several blocks away from the airport. She would have to cross a busy street and wait for a bus to take her back to the airport. Likely a 20 minute ordeal, at least.
Or she could possibly grab a cab.
It wasn’t my problem to solve. But I felt terrible. And guilty.
If I had said something (once I’d seen something), she wouldn’t be in this pickle.
What would you do?
I have had so many moments like that. There are so many cross wires when it comes to New York. I guess the rule is always be as wonderful as you are. ❤️🙏🏼😘