This morning, during busy commuter time, I helped a young mother, her twin pushchair (loaded with what must be two very good eaters!), her suitcase, her elderly relative, and her adorable toddler down the stairs at my London train station.
All around us commuters were getting exasperated, because we weren't moving at breakneck speed. There was some shoving, some tsking, but most people just looked irritated and got past as fast as they could. Two gentlemen, however, stepped in to help carrying things, even got protective and chided some people trying to shove past. And a couple of people smiled, but didn't get involved.
So here's the rant: why can't people, upon seeing people who need help, Just Do It? Accept there's a blockage and, instead of fuming, help "unblock". If more people had helped from the outset we could have done it all much faster, which would have been better for everybody, not just the mother & crew, but everybody, by clearing the stairs faster.
I'm being philosophical about it - it hasn't ruined my day - on the contrary, for the "price" of a minute of effort, and some desperately needed exercise!, I earned a good feeling that will last me a while (I hope). And I'm vastly cheered by the thought that my reward (and the punishment the gits in the crowd get) is that they have to live with themselves and I don't.
But still. What do Mumsnetters think?