A young man was being reprimanded by an elderly woman on the bus for having tattoos, but the young man ignored her. Until this occurred…
On the bus, the old woman would glance at the young man wearing a white tank top, at his arms covered in tattoos, and then she would turn abruptly to the window and whisper something.
Wearing headphones, the young man appeared totally absorbed in the music, drowning out all other sounds, and he didn’t even notice the sidelong glances. However, the grandmother eventually ran out of patience:
“Well,” she said loudly, “what has happened to the youth today?” — Why are all these demonic things drawn on your body?
With one earbud out, the young man asked courteously:
— Is something wrong, Grandma?
– “What’s wrong?” She made fun of it. It is a deadly sin to enter paradise with a body like that! Bad. How can the planet support individuals such as yourself?
He simply answered, “I haven’t done anything wrong to you.” I have the freedom to do whatever I want with my body since it is mine.
However, his remarks merely fanned the flames.
— Oh no! Young people never talked to their elders like this in my day! — the grandmother’s voice rose. — Who authorized you to address me in such a manner? People like you are to blame for the nation’s collapse! They now parade around decked out like devils! Shame if your folks saw you! It’s impossible to find a decent wife with drawings like those. You know that God will punish you? Until you see the weight of your misdeeds, you will roam the world!
She shook her head, crossed herself, and continued:
— If you injure yourself with the needle once more, may your hands wither! And may your spirit become darker with every sketch!
The youth did not respond. He simply let out a long sigh and turned to face the window. The grandmother didn’t stop, but the bus kept going:
— Oh, obnoxious boy, you’ve caused my blood pressure to increase! I’m glad I don’t have kids like yours. It’s a shame that no youth remains!
Her face suddenly turned pale, and she grasped her chest.
— Oh. I’m not feeling well. “I’m having trouble breathing,” she rasped.
On the bus, people turned away with indifference; some feigned not to hear, while others just turned away. Nobody made a move.
Only the tattooed young man took off his headphones and gave her a serious look. Then, without warning, he said in a forceful yet quiet voice…
— Grandma I work as a paramedic.
As though time had paused for a second, the bus appeared to freeze.
The young man hurried over to the granny right away. He opened the top button of her sweater, helping her take a deeper breath, then swiftly and confidently took off her heavy scarf without concern.
Calmly take a breath. Quite unlike the “rude boy” the woman had just labeled him, he added calmly, “Don’t panic.”
He checked her pulse and gently raised her to make her feel more at ease, acting as though he already knew exactly what to do.
He promptly pulled out his phone and remarked, “She’s experiencing severe spasms and her blood pressure is unstable.” — We urgently require an ambulance.
After dialing the number, he stated the address, the bus route, and the woman’s condition in a clear and professional manner.
He looked her in the eyes and whispered, “Gramma, hold on, the doctors are on their way.” I agree; everything will work out.
The grandma hardly opened her eyes, still weak and pallid. Her eyes briefly displayed astonishment, even shame. She merely gave a slight nod, as if she wanted to say something but lacked the strength.
