On The Pegs March 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 3 | Page 28

On The Pegs
28
STORIES FROM THE ROAD:
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
I had a lot of time to think on my two-
week trip to South Carolina and I think
I’ve learned a lot about myself and about
people in general over the past few years.
About 15 years ago, I took my youngest
son, Dillon, on assignment with me to Ger-
many to cover a Motocross GP.
When we landed in Berlin Tegel Airport
a few of the gates were under construc-
tion, so they parked us on the tarmac and
pushed an extremely tall and rather intimi-
datingly steep ladder for us to deplane.
When we were all on board a cramped
shuttle full of people of all nationalities, I
hear a British woman exclaim, “Oh my God,
look!” as she pointed to the top of the stairs. There, frozen in fear at the top of
the stairs, was an elderly Indian woman in tradition Indian or Hindu dress with a
long dress and covering over her head and face. She was afraid to go down the
stairs After about two or three minutes, she was still there, frozen at the top of
the stairs, while the airline workers stood around watching at the bottom (I won’t
mention the airline). Finally, I told Dillon to hold my backpack and I got off the
shuttle and climbed the steep stairs, never making eye contact. When I got to
the top, I extended my elbow, as you would when escorting a date to the prom.
Neither of us said a word or made eye contact, and I escorted to her to the bot-
tom and she released her grip, still not saying a word or making contact, which I
totally understood, not knowing anything about her traditions or religion. After
we got on the shuttle, I heard the British lady say, “It took an American to help the
poor lady!” I didn’t think much about it at the time, but looking back now, I have
never been more-proud to be an American than I did on that day. And to this
day, when some good fortune comes my way, I think “There’s my little Hindu lady
looking over me!” I just wish I had been as considerate other times in my life.
God Bless America! - Shan Moore