Even though there are tens of thousands of people who pass through Penn Station every day, it can be a lonely place. I’ve walked through many times by myself and wondered if anyone would help me if I fell or something. Today, I got my answer.

I was walking near the Dunkin Donuts on the main concourse after getting off NJ Transit and I slipped. The snow on the bottom of my shoe melted on the train ride and became a slick slush. I recovered from my stumble but I dropped my gloves. As I leaned on my cane to get it, I saw a white hand next to mine. It was a woman I didn’t know coming to my aid.

“Thank you so much,” I exclaimed.

“No problem,” she replied with a smile on her face. “Your dressed for the cold like me but it actually warmed up today.”

“Yeah I have on layers, I hope I’m not too warm.”

“Me too,” she says as she glanced at a homeless person. “It’s okay. I think about the people who don’t have coats or somewhere warm to go. We have the luxury of both.”

“You are so right,” I said. “I wonder how the people who live here survive in the Winter. Hell, how they make it day to day.”

“We are lucky not to have those problems,” she replied as she smiled and we parted ways.

#cane #njtransit #pennstation #spoonie #autoimmunedisease #invisibleillness #chronicillness #chronicpain #igg4 #disability #2018 #commute #homeless