A Word about Assumption

Yesterday, at the end of the work day, I found myself standing in a very crowded subway train. In preparation for the 45 minute commute home, I claimed space next to one of the doors.

As the train doors began to close, a little boy, possibly a first or second grader, ran inside, leaving his mother and a slightly older child standing on the subway platform.
Immediately, the mother made a beeline for the door and at the same time called out to the child, “Don’t ever do that--”

Her statement was cut short as the train doors began to close. Her hands were partially inside the subway car, but the rest of her, including the other child, was still very much standing on the platform.

Meanwhile, the child inside the car noticed this, and began to shriek. Underscored by his shrieking, a few seconds of struggle ensued before the mother was finally able to pry open the doors and get herself and the other child inside. Once inside, she soothed the still shrieking child and calmly began to explain to him what he could have done if she had not been able to get on the train.

While I was awarded a ring side seat to the unfolding action, there were many passengers who only saw a shrieking child being comforted by his mother. One such passenger, one person over from where I was standing, assumed the mother had encouraged the child to run on. He said something to the effect that he wanted to hit Parents who would allow their children to be used in such a way and allow them to be traumatized in such a manner. He said this out loud to the passenger next to him.

Next thing I knew, I heard myself telling him that the child ran on first and the mother was in the midst of scolding him when the train doors began to close in on her. When the passenger understood she was not at fault, he apologized for jumping to conclusions and thanked me for speaking up.

And to his credit, when he got off the train about 30 minutes later, he thanked me again. — I.O.