Put helping others ahead of a phone call

As I was delivering a local advertisement paper on Feb. 3, I pulled up to a residential care facility on Johnson Avenue. I noticed a blue car sitting in front of the building and a senior citizen transport bus attempting to get around the car.

I continued to park the car to go inside when I heard the backup alarm on the bus, so I got back in and moved my car. The bus began driving forward over the curb, next to the blue car, to get around safely.

As I went inside, I passed an elderly woman coming out with a walker. When coming out the door 10-15 seconds later, I passed by the woman, still apparently walking to that car. I didn't help because the person sitting in the car was getting out while on the telephone. As I got into my car, I thought, that's nice that she is going to help the woman with her walker.

But no, she opened the trunk, moved a bag and stood there, still on the telephone, as the elderly woman disassembled and folded her walker and lifted it into the trunk by herself. Then the younger woman got back into the car, while still on the telephone, and the elderly woman worked her way around the car to the passenger seat. I was shocked!

Is any telephone call important enough for us not to help someone?

Steven Langton

Cedar Rapids