Did I do a good deed or was I being selfish?

adymarie

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Morning everyone.

This morning I thought I started out by doing a good deed, but now in retrospect maybe I was just being selfish. What do you think?

While I was waiting for the bus this morning, the bus stopped at the stop before mine for a long time. When it got to me I got on and noticed an older man - probably in his 70's - scrounging through his belongings. The bus continued to the next stop where the bus driver stopped and address the older man. He was asking if the man had found his bus fare yet. The old man continue to look through his things and the bus driver said he wasn't mving until the man paid. They began to get aggressive with each other (verbally). The old man telling the driver he was trying but hadn't been on the bus in a while and didn't knwo how much and the driver saying that he had to pay. I got up and offered the man a bus token to pay his fare with which he accepted and gave to the bus driver driver. And we started on our way again.

In retrospect I don't know if I did it to help a bewildered man out or to get the bus moving so I could get to work and have a desparately needed cup of tea to wake me up.

In a side note, I noticed after that the old man was a complete nutter. Was aggressive to other people on the bus, talking to himself, etc, but I didn't realize that at the time I offered to assist him.

Well, was I selfish or being a good Samaritan?
 

pushylady

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I think everyone else on the bus, and the driver, appreciated what you did. You got the bus moving again and there wasn't a big incident to deal with.
Poor crazy old guy - there's always one on the bus it seems.
 

rockcat

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I think you did a good deed. IMO its irrevelent that it benefited you as well. Your first thought was to help the guy, right?
 
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adymarie

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Originally Posted by Rockcat

I think you did a good deed. IMO its irrevelent that it benefited you as well. Your first thought was to help the guy, right?
true that was my 1st thought......
 

phenomsmom

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I vote for you did a good deed. You werent thinking about getting a cup of tea when you did it so you weren't really being selfish. Even if you were more than you benefitted from it. So it counts as your good deed for the day!
 

pombina

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You did a good thing. I would have done exactly the same. I have serious issues when it comes to old people being alone. I just can't stand it. I know that most of them have had a better, fuller life than I ever will but they still make me sad to see, struggling and confused. I definately would have given him some money. Despite him being a bit crazy!
 
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