扶梯上的陌生人

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I was shopping at a department store and had just boarded the down escalator when I noticed a woman standing to the side. She looked about sixty， and her expression told me she was scared. I turned toward her and asked， “Do you need help？”

As the escalator continued moving， I heard the woman reply softly， “I’m afraid.” There was a hint of incredulity in her voice. “Want me to come back and get you？” I called to her. She nodded.

But by the time I reached her， the woman had reconsidered. “I don’t think I can do it，” she said. I was suddenly aware that I had made a far greater investment than I expected. “I know we can do it，” I said. “I can hold on to you.” She looked down at the beast. Then her eyes came back to mine， looking doubtful. “This has never happened to me before，” she said， as much to herself as to me.

I felt that her sudden fear had to do with the escalator’s mechanical nature， its basic inhuman untrustworthiness. I took her arm. “Shall we？” She made a little sound of alarm as we stepped on， but we’d passed the point of no return.

She relaxed slightly as the stairs moved us downward. “I don’t understand this at all，” she said. As we neared the bottom， her grip tightened again， but we did fine.

“I’m so grateful...” she began. “It was nothing，” I said. “I was happy to do it.” Happy？ Yes. I do very little to help others. I am busy caring for a family and working full time. For a brief moment， I had a flash of insight into why someone would become a nurse or a social worker or a minister. When I helped the woman， I felt my life pure and whole， purposeful. It was a happier moment than I’d had in weeks.

我到一家百货商店买东西，就在我踏上自动扶梯刚要下楼时，我忽然注意到扶梯旁站着一位妇女。她看上去60岁左右，从她脸上的表情可以看出她很害怕。于是我转向她，问道：“需要帮忙吗？”

就在自动扶梯载着我向下移动时，我听到她轻声地回答：“我很害怕。”嗓音中流露出一丝不信任。“要我回来帮你吗？”我对她说。她点了点头。

可是当我回到楼上时，老人又改变了主意。“我想我还是不行。”她说。这时，我突然意识到这件事并不像我开始想的那样简单。“我们能行的。”我说，“我会搀着你。”她低头看着那个庞然大物，随后又满目狐疑地看着我。“我以前从未乘过这种自动扶梯。”她既像是对我说的，又像是自言自语。

我觉得老人这种突如其来的恐惧与自动扶梯的机械性有关，它归根结底是非人性的东西，很难给人以安全感。我搀着她，问道：“我们走吧？”我们迈上扶梯时，她轻轻地叫了一声。然而，既然已踏上了扶梯，就不能再回头了。

随着扶梯载着我们下行，她稍稍放松了一点。“我一点也弄不懂这种东西。”她说。我们接近扶梯底部时，她紧紧抓着我，但我们还是顺利走下了扶梯。

“我不知道怎么谢你才好……”她说。“这没什么。”我说，“我很高兴这样做。”高兴？的确如此。平时我很少帮助别人，整日忙于工作和照顾家人。就在这一刹那，我突然明白了为什么有人会去做护士、社会工作者或者牧师。当我帮助这位妇女的时候，我感到我的生活是纯粹的、完整的和有意义的。这是我这几周来最高兴的时刻。