Escalator.....

An escalator in a mall is something very naive. It goes times up and down all around the day taking people to different floors and sections of the mall. After living around 10 years in a tier 1 city in India hopping on and off the escalator is an art which I have master long ago.

Today just before stepping onto the escalator I saw a gentleman in his early 70's trying to get on it. He was a bit scared and also apprehensive of the embarrassment in case he falls.

There were kids who were pretty much of the age of his grandchildren traversing so fluidly through the escalators. He was just standing there with twitching fingers.

I tried to help him but he was reluctantly answered - "I will manage."

I could sense he was being kind of defensive and protecting his self respect. Asking for help is not a trait in everyone's bag.

Before leaving all I said - "there is also a lift on the northern side of the mall."

I tried not to sympathise or look down onto him, just turned around and left.

After a while when I peeked, I saw him smiling at me and moving towards the lift. 

To whole scene lasted only for a couple of minutes but I will remember this for quite some time.