Читаем Fall and Rise полностью

Feels a watch on his wrist. “Five and a half minutes ago exactly. I was on it and meant to get off at Seventy-second but fell asleep. And a woman, when I woke up between stations, said the last stop was Thirty-fourth when it was Times Square, which is how it happens I’m here. Could you help me get to the downtown side?”

“Excuse me, but you are blind, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Well you see, I’m standing inside the local, waiting for the doors to close. So I’d like to help, but I have to get to someplace which if I’m any more late for—”

“Thank you. Someone,” he shouts, turning around, “will someone please help me get to the other side of this mess?”

“Wait — listen. The stairs are over there — stop turning—now, you’re facing them. Maybe fifteen feet in front of you at the most. Walk straight — I’ll stay here and guide you, and if the doors close, guide you from the open window here long as I can — feel for the bottom step with your foot or cane, grab the railing on your right and go upstairs. The stairs to the downtown platform are to your right about thirty feet once you get up there.”

“I don’t know this station. I’m also very tired, so for that reason also I’m being extra cautious.”

“I can understand that. But much as I truly want to — and I truly do—”

“Hey,” the man from before, head sticking out the window of the next car, “get this thing going. You maybe already made me lose my job. My supervisor can’t believe when I say these trains are always breaking down — he uses a car. So move it — stop your stalling.”

“If the train doesn’t leave before I see a transit cop,” Dan says, “I’ll call one over for you or someone else who seems safe and is waiting here—”

“Help me out now?”

“Believe me, you can’t believe how late I am for where I’m going. And I’m freezing here. I lost my sweater and coat tonight. So I just don’t want to lose my train.”

A man approaches, heading for the stairs. “Sir,” Dan says, “could you take this gentleman here — he can’t see, as might be obvious — up the stairs and deposit him—”

Man’s past them, never made a sign he saw or heard, hurries upstairs.

“Thanks a lot. That’s where he was going — And when I mentioned your sight, sir, I only thought — Wait, I’ll do it. This train’s never going. Should’ve done it before and I would’ve been back by now.” Steps out of the car, grabs the man’s arm. Train motor starts up. “I have to get in. Ah, I don’t know what I’m doing.” Doors shut. “Oh well, macht nichts. If this one’s been here so long, another should be close behind it.”

“Whatever it’s costing you, I’m—”

“Finally,” the man in the next car says. “Hurray,” and pulls his head in and shuts the window.

“No problem whatsoever” Dan says. “That’s not so, but let’s try to do it quickly without either of us tripping. I won’t rush you though.” Doors open. Dan walks him a few steps to the staircase, says “Wait a second, maybe I can have both,” walks him to the car, wedges a foot against the part the door slides out of, says “Don’t worry, I’ll get you over there one way or the other without much more delay, but maybe in the next few moments someone will come who can take you. Hello,” he shouts, “but is there anyone here who could take this man whose sight is bad to the downtown platform? I can’t. My uptown local’s leaving — Don’t worry, I will if no one else does,” he says to the man. Two men a few pillars down the platform look at them, then seem to look away. “If one of you gentlemen is waiting for the uptown express — I just thought of something,” to the man. “Come with me to a Hundred and tenth — the stop I’m going to — and once there I’ll take you around to the downtown platform, stand with you till the local comes — I don’t care how long it takes — and then you can take it all the way to Seventy-second without getting off. Four stops. Hundred-third, Ninety- and Eighty-sixth, Seventy-ninth and then-second. Five. It’s a fair compromise. I’m going out of my way doing it that way also, but that’s okay — I don’t mean to sound begrudging or guilt-making. I want to help you, but you also shouldn’t have been out alone this late and on the subway in the first place.”

“I work downtown — baking, my living. I’ve never had trouble or missed my stop. Just take me—”

“Here, feel my arm,” and puts the man’s free hand on his arm. “Just one long-sleeved shirt. A thick cotton but not sufficient and no undershirt underneath.” Motor starts up again. Doors close except for the half-door his foot’s holding open. Man inside the car says “Make your move, in or out, but let the door close.”

“In a second. I’m trying to get someone to take this man to the downtown platform here.”

“I’ll get someone myself,” the blind man says and takes his arm away from Dan.