Rabbi Resnick’s Blog

Posted on 08/14/2012 @ 04:42 PM

Wrong Bus

Many years ago, I was on a bus in Jerusalem, when an elderly woman suddenly realized that she had boarded the wrong bus. This particular bus was taking her seven blocks away from where she intended to go - a difficult walk for anybody in the middle of a hot Israel summer.

She approached the driver and explained her mistake. The driver then yelled out the situation to the rest of the passengers and said - if it was ok with everyone - that he was going to go off-route for a few moments to drop the woman off at her house.

No one complained so off we went, this big red Egged bus winding its way incongruously through the narrow neighborhood streets of Jerusalem, driver at the wheel and the old woman standing over his shoulder telling him where to turn.

It was surreal - this crowed, unairconditioned bus turned suddenly into a private limo!

We arrived at her apartment after a few minutes. The bus stopped, the door opened, and the woman gingerly descended from the bus, just ten steps away from her front door! The driver then returned to the normal route.

When the bus arrived at my stop, I paused and asked the driver why he agreed to go out of his way to such an extent.

I will always remember his reply: "I live to help people."