Silent – respect
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Silent – respect
①One winter evening, I was in Germany and joined the waiting queue as usual, waiting for the bus home. There were five or six people waiting for the bus, orderly and quiet. At this time, a man came from a distance holding a dog. At dusk, the figure was rimmed with gold by the lights on the roadside, making it particularly eye-catching. ② As we got closer, we saw a tall, burly young man with a straight back. The German Shepherd clinging to him is equipped with a professional pull-up bar —— This is standard equipment for guide dogs. Oh, he’s a blind man. The man walked slowly towards the station and stopped not far from the waiting line. ③ No one greeted the blind man, and I was hesitating whether to go forward and lead him over. But when he saw the middle-aged man at the head of the waiting queue, he instantly put away the book he was reading and strode behind the blind man. Other people waiting for the bus followed closely behind him without any commotion. Next to me, a punk girl with short red hair glanced at the guide dog. She must have been afraid that the smell of smoke would affect its sense of smell. After a moment of hesitation, she put out the cigarette she had just lit and followed. ④ A new waiting line formed behind one person and one dog. The tacit understanding reached by strangers in silence amazes me. ⑤ The silence remained until the bus arrived. “Wait a moment, I’m going to…” The driver was about to leave the driver’s seat and help the blind man get into the car, but the man politely refused: “Thank you, no need.” The blind man insisted on getting into the car on his own under the guidance of the guide dog. It was the rush hour at this time, and the bus was already full of passengers. However, after the man got on the bus, people quickly gathered to the back, making a small space for him in the originally cramped car. ⑥ Immediately behind the driver, there was a six or seven-year-old boy sitting. The mother standing next to him suddenly pulled the boy up and gave up his seat. Although his mother made a sudden move, the well-behaved little boy did not show any displeasure. The guide dog raised his head and led his owner to an empty seat, then lay quietly aside. The blind man had no idea of these processes. ⑦ “Hello, where are you going?” ⑧ “Hello! I’m going to More Street.” ⑨ “Okay, Your Majesty!” The driver’s witty reply caused a burst of laughter in the car, and the car continued to move forward with the happy people… ⑩ In the car, people were silently looking at the naive guide dog: even when making sharp turns, it shook its head and tried to keep looking straight ahead, with a focused expression. Unlike the usual situation with pet dogs, no one tried to get close to pet it or take pictures with their mobile phones. The little boy next to me who originally gave up his seat slowly raised the half-eaten piece of bread in his hand and wanted to go forward to feed it. His mother stopped him in time and whispered: “It is working and has its own responsibilities. Don’t disturb it.” When he heard the word “work”, the child immediately shrank back. ⑪ The town is not big, so the man arrived at the stop quickly, said a brief goodbye to the driver and got out of the car with the guide dog. There was still silence in the bus, but at this time, I felt the silent care and deep respect in the silence. ⑫ Outside the window, a cold wind blew. My heart feels warm… —- “Today’s Digest” Issue 4, 2015
Respecting others is a kind of cultivation and a virtue, and being respected is a kind of happiness!
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