[john70t]

I'm an employee at a box store working in the hardware section.

A feeble old man with a cane and a large swinging bag, heavily worn, slowly walks by. He's twisted up like a pretzel. Every time he takes a step, the heavy bag swings and wraps around his cane; threatening to topple him over. He's at the very edge of defying gravity with every foot, but obviously has been doing this a long time.

My manager walks up, grabs the cane and bag out of his arms, and tosses them rudely to the floor. He gives the old man a cane which doesn't wobble and a bag which doesn't swing."You need to use approved equipment in this store" he tells the old man brusquely and leaves again.

The old man tries to pick up his stuff from the floor but can't reach. I help. It's his personal property after all and he needs to take that with him. I offer to carry them to the front of the store and become his attached assistant for the entire day instead of doing my own job, which I'm being paid to do and actually need to complete. He yells at me and insists on carrying them himself. Stubborn and a little rude. Huh. That's the thanks I get? Why didn't he get a wheelchair from the front?

Now the old man is fully loaded down with two canes and two bags. He falls over. Goes to the hospital. Sues the store for buku with a big attorney. The press and society is blaming me. I have to explain each video frame in court. The attorney is blaming me personally for not becoming fully involved and making better decisions for the old man. Now I'm responsible for everything.

Moral of the story which kept gonging in the background of my brain: Getting involved changes it and makes me liable. It's better to do nothing.