On an icy winter's day, I waited for my train in a crowded station hall. When getting in there was quite a crowd. Therefore, hardly anyone noticed that an old woman had been jostled by a ruthless young man and would almost have fallen to the ground if I had not caught her!
This woman then sat grateful to me on the train. We started talking and I asked again about their well-being.
Today's youth is simply not what it used to be, that's how my words ended.
When the conductor arrived to check the tickets, the woman realized with a start that her purse had been stolen! The old lady's tears came and she said that she had just withdrawn her monthly pension from the bank.
In the train compartment it became very quiet and it seemed that everyone sympathized with this woman.
When a young man began to play a happy melody on his harmonica, I almost got into it. I wondered how little sensitivity young people need nowadays to spread cheerfulness in such a situation.
It got worse! After his performance, the young man pulled off his cap and walked around the train to collect money. It seemed that all the passengers really gave him money, and I even saw that some bills came!
In the end, he came to me. No, I did not want to support a beggar who also had two healthy hands to work with! So I pretended to be asleep, so fortunately he did not speak to me.
But then something happened that astonished me deeply. The harmonica player went to the stolen woman and poured the collected money into her lap! He smiled at her and said that everyone on the train was happy to give something.
Ashamed, I realized my mistake and was about to reach for my wallet. But it was too late for that, the old woman had already dropped out of the train. I saw her with tears of emotion standing on the platform.
Thankfully she waved to the helpful and generous people on the train.
