Police Said I Saved A Man's Life Yesterday. By Geniusofdespair

Artist's Rendering of the Escalator Mishap

I was on an escalator yesterday minding my own business, HOLDING the handrail, when an old man trying to drink coffee (not holding the handrail) fell backward...he fell backward about 3 steps as a dead weight onto me. In other words, I broke his fall. His body weight was taking me down too but I had two hands firmly holding us both halfway up on the handrails. I couldn't hold on much longer, we were both going down, he was just too heavy as a dead weight and I am not a big burly person -- but luckily 2 or 3 other people came to the rescue as he was lying prone upside down on the escalator.

The police officer said I probably saved his life (breaking his fall). The paramedics said he needed stitches. The coffee was gone (all over my leg). I thought he had a stroke but it was only the froth of his coffee on his lips (he was drinking coffee on an escalator not holding on).  Later he said thank you for saving me, he acknowledged my role.  Today I am sore all over on the side he fell on. That is my story and I am sticking to it.

Blogger? Yes. Old Man Fall Breaker? Yes to that too.  The morale of this story is, if you are going to stand behind someone old on an escalator, don't. Stand next to them. The scary part, he still drives.