May 2016
James
Fitzgerald
,
BSN, RN
Orthopedics
Upstate University Hospital
Syracuse
,
NY
United States
It was almost noon, the cafeteria was crowded and the lines were long. There was an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair that had circled around a couple of times checking out the choices. I witnessed him pull out a few dollar bills and was counting them. The man then said out loud - "do you have a dollar?" generally to everyone standing there. A few people looked away and a few people reached towards their pockets but Jim got out of line, went to him and told him he would help him get his lunch. Jim very patiently asked him what he wanted and helped him navigate the food service area. I happened to be behind them at the cashier and the gentleman pulled out the dollar bills from his pocket. I heard Jim say, "Put that back - I've got this". He helped the gentleman to a table and got him a glass of ice water. As I was sitting with my colleague having my lunch - I again noticed Jim walk across the cafeteria, this time with his lunch tray and sit down with the gentleman and had lunch with him. Not only did he help him obtain his food, Jim took the time to sit with him and share a meal together. There are some of us who might have pulled out the money to help him, and a few of us that might have assisted him through the food service area but probably not too many would have sat down and shared a meal with this gentleman.