On this day,  cold and wintry,
The train arrived late.
Passengers hurried out.

Her right leg disabled,
She waited, struggled out,
dragging a case behind her.

The lift was broken,
The stairs appeared forbidding,
She stood, feeling helpless.

People rushed past, eyes averted,
focussed elsewhere.
The station emptied.

She climbed the stairs, one step at a time,
Holding on, starting,stopping, breathing,
pulling the case, hoping…

She heard a footfall ; turned,
A dishevelled youth with dreadlocks
picked up her case,

ascended the steps, two at a time,
leaving her behind.
It’s gone, the case is gone, she thought.

She stumbled up, reached the top,
He was there with a taxi and her case,
The driver helped her in.

The youth walked away,
Without waiting for a ‘thank you,’
She was overcome by shame and gratitude.

Leela Gautam