WASHINGTON — A random act of kindness at a subway station has been making the rounds on social media.
In this case, an older gentleman came to the aid of a young man seated at a bench at a busy station in Atlanta. His professional appearance — collared shirt, dress slacks and tie — would be complete were it not for the limp tie drooping around his neck.
Despite all his fumbling, he couldn’t tie it properly.
A woman noticed him and then asked her husband to “teach this young man to tie his tie,” after learning that he didn’t know how. The older man gave a step-by-step tutorial and then watched the young man repeat the steps, according to an observer’s account of the incident.
Subways are the last place you’d expect to find people on their best behavior. Maybe it’s a case of southern hospitality.
But the endearing moment was caught on cell phone camera and has been circulating on social media ever since.
A photo posted to Facebook has fetched more than a half million “likes” since it was uploaded Saturday. The person who uploaded the image, Facebook user Redd Desmond Thomas, wrote in the post:
“The young guy sitting down was struggling with his tie. The woman in the red coat noticed, and asked ‘Do you know how to tie it properly?’ The young guy said ‘No ma’am.’ She taps her husband and says ‘Come to this side [her right side; he was standing on her left side] and teach this young man how to tie his tie.” The older gentleman moved without hesitation [almost a reflex response] and gave him a step-by-step tutorial; then – afterward – the elder gentleman watched the young gentleman repeat the steps and show him that he had it. I was some distance away (but close enough to hear the exchange), and got even closer to snap this candid photo of the tutorial in progress before hopping on the train. I LOVE THIS!”
