Thread by @RadioFreeTom

So, promised you all a more uplifting story of something that happened today in Boston. I was in an old building with a business on each floor, with a very narrow staircase. An old lady was coming up the stairs. We were masked but it was very small and so I quickly backed up. /1

When I stepped back, I knocked over a sign for one of the businesses. The door behind it was locked, and I figured it was closed, and the old lady was trying to get up the stairs, and so I left. As I was crossing the street, a guy follows me out with the sign. /2

He is *really mad*, as the sign has a crack in it and he is chewing me out in broken English. "I work hard! For my children! Come on man!" Now *I'm* mad, and I say: "This was blocking the hallway, and the old lady couldn't get by, and whaddaywant!" and I'm being all Masshole. /3

He says "Nevermind, forget it!" and stomps off and I say "Want me to pay for it, fine!" and he waves me off. I call my wife to tell her I'm on my way home and I tell her this story and already I feel like a dick. She says "do what you think is right," and so I turn around. /4

I go back to the building. He's there in the stairwell, and at the exact same time we both shout out: "I'm sorry!" I pull out what cash I have and offer it, and tell him that I want to help pay for it. He refuses and says he's sorry for blocking the hall and losing his temper. /5

I say: No, *I'm* sorry I just left, I didn't know, let me help, and he laughs and says no, *he* is sorry. I insist. He absolutely refuses. Now we're arguing over him not taking my money and we holding each other's upper arms instead of shaking hands. /6

He apologizes; says he speaks only Italian and Arabic, says Grazie and Shokhran and I say "you're welcome" and we both burst out laughing as we are trying to show kindness to each other in three languages, and we hug while laughing, our faces away on each other's shoulders. /7

I tell him how sorry I am and I know these are hard times and he says it's fine: That he loves me for coming back, which mattered most. And again we grip each other's upper arms, no handshake. As I leave he says "come see me when you are back!" and I promise to do that. /8

And for just a moment I thought that anything in the world was possible and it was the nicest walk I've had in Boston in maybe my whole life. /9x