An interesting encounter

It had been raining heavily all evening, and I wanted to head to the nearby mall for a cup of Indian tea. There’s nothing quite like a piping hot cup of tea to warm you up on a chilly day.

On my way to the train station, I decided to use the restroom before boarding the train. As I walked into the toilet, a dazed-looking old man emerged, completely naked from the waist down. I found the sight unsettling but quickly went about my business and left the restroom. As I reached the walkway, I noticed a foreign domestic helper - later I learned she was the old man’s caretaker - frantically gesturing to the station manager for assistance. Despite the language barrier, the station manager understood her plight but, in his frustration, raised his voice, saying he couldn’t abandon his post to help. 

Sensing something amiss, I decided I couldn’t walk away without doing something. More than anything, I wanted to protect the old man’s dignity. I returned to the restroom, removed my sleeveless t-shirt, and put my jacket back on. Taking the t-shirt, I approached the old man and helped him put it on, inverting it so he could wear it like a pair of shorts. He looked confused but allowed me to help him. I then spoke to an elderly woman nearby, presumably his wife, in Teochew that the t-shirt would at least keep him covered as they make arrangements to get home. The maid explained that she had contacted the man’s son, who was on his way to fetch them. With some reassurance that help was on its way, I left them and continued toward the mall (which was one train station away). Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should do more. I decided to buy a pair of shorts for the old man. When I returned to the station, they were already gone. The station manager told me that the son had arrived and taken the old man home.

In the end, I didn’t get my tea, and I came home with a pair of oversized shorts that I’d probably never use. But I felt good knowing that, in a small way, I had been able to help preserve the old man’s dignity in a difficult moment.