A Dog’s Show Of Humanity and the MTA Warning

MTA Warning: Don't Get Sick On The Train

It is a noble thing to reach out to those in need.  We all know how to write checks to the Red Cross when the levees break in New Orleans.  There are stories of Americans flying over to Japan to help the tsunami victims.  But what happens to our sense of humanity when someone sitting right next to us needs our help?

Last week, my son felt sick and fainted on the subway.  When he came to, he found his bag had fallen from his hand and was opened with the contents strewn on the floor.  As he bent down to pick up his things he noticed the two women, who were sitting across from him before he fell over, never moved to help him. They were still talking about  the bargains they would find on Canal Street, as if the entire episode in front of them had never happened.

As he stood to get back into his seat, he felt faint again, so he stretched out on the seat with his knees up.  At that moment, an MTA employee walked through the subway car and poked him saying, “Get up!  You can’t lie down on the seats.”

“I feel sick,” my son told him.  “I think I might faint again.”

“If you’re sick, get off the train or sit up; you can’t lie down on the seats,” was his reply.

So he crawled out of the subway on all fours, afraid that if he stood up he just might faint again and fall over onto the tracks. 

“And not one person helped you?” I asked incredulously as he recounted the story. 

Not one.

That same week, my husband called to ask me to pick him up early from the Amityville train station because he, too, felt sick. I saw him weaving from the bottom step of that long staircase down from the train platform, and before I could get out of my parking spot, he slithered down the wall onto his knees. 

I watched men and women of all ages walk right past him as I tried to maneuver the car closer to the curb. As I got out of the car to help him up, I panicked, thinking, how am I going to carry him into the car?

Just then, I heard a woman ask, “Sir, are you alright?”  One woman.  I wish I knew who she was so I could thank her personally.

I watched the Today Show covering the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week.  They aired a segment on two dogs who were abandoned in a devastated area.  One dog was lying down, obviously injured, and the other dog was hovering over him, stroking him with his paw and occasionally licking the injured dog’s face. 

What a show of compassion and humanity.  Too bad dogs can’t travel on mass transit.






In case you missed the link at the beginning of this piece, you should be aware of the MTA's rules on getting sick on the trains.  Here they are:


If you feel sick, it's best if you don't get on the train. Help can reach 
you much faster if you stay in the station. So, if you feel sick go to the station agent or a police officer - they will help you.

If you become ill when you are on the train, notify the train crew.The train crew has the means to call for medical assistance or the police.

You will not be left alone if you become ill. Someone will stay with you until you are well enough to be on your way or until you are in the right hands. And, during rush hours there are EMTs at various key stations who are ready to help customers who get sick.  Really? Nah, you don't mean that.

Never pull the emergency brake. It will only delay the train and keep help from reaching you.