It’s no secret that people impact each other’s lives in touching ways. Just the smallest gesture can make all of the difference in the world. Marcus Pass, from Cookeville Tennessee, was simply having lunch one day when he did just that for someone else. No hesitation. No pause. No second thoughts.
Marcus was having lunch at Zaxby’s when heard a teen laughing and jeering about an elderly man that was stuck in the bathroom. Marcus didn’t hesitate as he made his way to the restroom. Marcus was concerned about the man and wanted to make sure he was okay. As Marcus neared the bathroom, he could hear the man’s desperate cries. Marcus learned that the man was too weak and was unable to lift himself off the toilet.
Marcus asked the man to unlock the stall. He went inside, helped the man to his feet. The man thanked Marcus for assisting him and went on to say that this was without a doubt, the most embarrassing moment in his life. Of course, Marcus thought nothing of it and was only happy he was there to help.
At that moment, Marcus noticed something about the elderly gentleman. He was wearing a Vietnam hat. Immediately, Marcus thanked the man for his service. Wanting to make things as right as possible, Marcus helped walk him out to the lobby and found the teenager who was laughing at him earlier. Marcus asked the teen to apologize for the way that he had behaved. Hopefully, the teen understands that what he did was wrong, and his reaction should have been much, much different.
Of course, Marcus felt a lot of anger about what unfolded that day. He took to social media to bring awareness to this situation and call out the poor behavior of the teen.
Check out the entire post of Marcus put on Facebook:
The truth is, this gentleman is not alone. According to The United States Census Bureau, there are 3.8 million veterans with a service-related disability. Of that number, 1.1 million have a disability rating of 70% or higher. These are people who sacrificed so much of themselves in order to answer the call of our country. As Marcus showcased, if anybody deserves our respect, these brave men and women certainly do. Rather than make fun of them, we should off our support and assistance whenever possible.
Without a doubt, this was an uncomfortable moment between two perfectly good strangers. It’s not easy being put in a vulnerable position with people we don’t know. However, we should all take a page from Marcus’ book. It’s not about whether or not we know someone. It’s not about whether or not a situation is comfortable for us. It’s about doing the right thing. It’s about helping people, not because we know them, but because they need it.
As Marcus says, we are all going to get older. And as we do, it’s likely that we won’t be able to do things we once could. It could just as easily be you or someone you know in a position where you must depend on the kindness of strangers. Be like Marcus. Help others when they need it. It could be the very thing that changes the world.
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