Baggage

As I walked quickly towards the turnstiles that would exit me out on Broadway and E. Houston I saw a young man lugging an enormous suitcase up the stairs from the B,D, F, V platforms. Then just behind him was a older overweight woman lugging herself up the stairs. The young man quickly set the suitcase down, nodded slightly and began walking towards the turnstiles with me. I heard the woman say, "Thank You."
I thought of how nice it was that he helped her, and wondered if she had asked or he had offered. He appeared to be wanting to escape back in to the persona he was going for, mostly thuggish- big baggy sweat shirt, oversized checkered Yankees hat, eyes turned down, overall slouch and baggy jeans with untied sneakers. But he kept looking back, checking on the woman. As we started to ascend the stairs out of the station he looked back one more time, and I could read his face for that split second. I saw his struggle to want to go back and help her again, his question if anyone else would help her up this next set of stairs that she clearly couldn't manage on her own. He quickly turned his head back to the stairs he was climbing and pulled his hood up.
But I know his secret, and the secret that many people (not everyone, but most I think) carry. There is goodness in all of us.