My sister-in-law, Kate Dodge Hoag, just posted
this personal account on Facebook. It’s a great Easter story, so even though I
just put up a post, this one is going up, too (with permission).----------------------------------
Saturday, April 7th, 10:36 PM. continuing from 3:08 PM ...
The train left the station as scheduled. A recorded voice announced the next stops as the train coursed through city after city. It was a comfortable ride and I was just thinking that it would be a pleasant way to travel an extensive distance when a young man came crashing down the steps from the upper deck. His shirt was torn, his face cut and bloodied with one whole side grossly swollen. He shouted, "I gotta get off this train! Stop the train! I gotta get outa' here! Man, I gotta get outa' here NOW! "
The crowd sat in stiff silence and gawked at him. I sat frozen in fear and clutched my purse closer. Where in God's name was the person in charge here? Isn't somebody supposed to DO SOMETHING?! Why were we all just sitting there dumbfounded as the terrified man stumbled through the aisle to the back of the train?
Seconds later his aggressor tumbled down the stairway. He righted himself and stood weaving back and forth searching above our heads for his prey. He was older and stockier than his victim. He wore no shoes, just tattered grey socks with ratty shorts and a dirty t-shirt. The smooth voice of the canned conductor announced our approaching arrival to the end of the line. The last stop of this train: San Bernardino.
It didn't seem like the train was slowing down at all. When was the train going to stop so we could get the hell off? Meanwhile, the predator groaned and shook his head. It appeared that he wasn't certain of where he was. His eyes were squeezed shut, he groaned louder. Suddenly he bent forward and rammed his head and shoulders smack into the glass doorways of the frontal left exit. The doors banged loudly but did not give way. The man backed up again and repeatedly rammed his head into the doors. First on the left exit then on the right. The doors banged loudly but held firm.
His attack did not seem to hurt him at all. Finally, he stood at the center of the aisle and spoke. "Where is he?” Utter silence beckoned him to repeat louder: "WHERE IS HE!?" Still no one offered a response. Then he started slowly walking down the aisle.
Something finally happened with the passengers. People started standing up. Don't get me wrong, we/I stood up, but not TO this mad man. People stood up and started backing away against the walls to LET him pass by them. Still no one said a thing. The man was like an angry bull slowly gathering adrenaline as he moved towards the back of the train. He looked no one in the eye, but looked around them, searching for the injured young man.
San Bernardino's arrival was announced once again. The train slowed down and the metal against metal screech of the brakes drowned out the frantic mutterings of passengers now converging towards the exits. All of a sudden the predator could go nowhere! He was trapped by a swarm of people anxious to get off the train at their earliest opportunity. He was now inconvenienced by all of us. Our immediate need was to get off the train and remove ourselves from the situation. It was time to do something. Get up; take care of ourselves by getting away from there. He was stuck in the middle of the crowd. He was immobilized. He couldn't move.
In concern for our OWN safety, we had managed to inadvertently stop the predator in his tracks, preventing him from reaching the man he had beaten so badly. Christ must have been watching over the man who was scared and suffering. We surely didn't. It was by our own selfish needs to get off that train that the young man managed to get away.
I had my first real live train ride on Good Friday. I didn't want to look like a tourist, so I went along with the crowd and tried to blend in. I did such a good job that I am ashamed.
Note: When the exits opened, everyone poured out of the train. The young man who was beaten had returned to the top deck and was able to escape via the front doors. His attacker was pushed out the door by the throng of people exiting at the rear of the train. I saw the young man running freely away from the station. The attacker was still stuck outside in the crowd. He was rather short and could not see above those standing around him.
Amazing what we/I can do to thwart a bad situation by simply standing up instead of sitting on our/my butt(s) watching and worrying about who is in charge to do the right thing.
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Amen, Sister, amen!
Your brother in Christ,
Dave
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