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adrian_turtleI was hurrying through the T station in Government Center, in hope of connecting to the Red Line and getting to Central Square in time for a 6pm appointment. A family was having some trouble with the stairs. The mother was taking the baby down the steps in an umbrella stroller, halfway between carrying it and bumping it down one step at a time. The toddler (walking well, but short, she had to reach waa-aay up to touch the railing) was trying to walk down the stairs facing forwards. That stairway is divided, with a little fence thingee supporting the central railing. The mother and stroller were on one side, and the toddler was on the other. A muscular teenager offered to help the mother, but he was also on the wrong side of the stairway. I saw them start to recognize the problem, but didn't see how they resolved it.
As I got to the foot of the stairs, at the beginning of that long corridor, I heard the rumble of the train in the distance, and saw a child of 4 or 5 running towards the woman with the stroller. "Mama! Mama! The train's coming!" The mother was struggling with stroller and railing and toddler, and she snapped something I didn't understand. The child was in tears, running partway up the steps, then back down to look at the tracks. "The TRAIN! You have to hurry, Mama!"
I stopped and took a breath. I looked the child in the eye and said, "Don't worry. There will be another train in a few minutes." He or she stopped crying, and went back towards the steps. I took 3 steps fairly calmly, then ran for the train and caught it just before it left.
As I got to the foot of the stairs, at the beginning of that long corridor, I heard the rumble of the train in the distance, and saw a child of 4 or 5 running towards the woman with the stroller. "Mama! Mama! The train's coming!" The mother was struggling with stroller and railing and toddler, and she snapped something I didn't understand. The child was in tears, running partway up the steps, then back down to look at the tracks. "The TRAIN! You have to hurry, Mama!"
I stopped and took a breath. I looked the child in the eye and said, "Don't worry. There will be another train in a few minutes." He or she stopped crying, and went back towards the steps. I took 3 steps fairly calmly, then ran for the train and caught it just before it left.
