Gemotions

The harsh fluorescent lights of the apartment building hallway seemed to intensify the bleakness of the notice. Maria’s blood turned cold. Across the hall, Mr. Chen, a man she’d seen struggling with his groceries and always offering a polite smile, was being evicted.

She imagined him, his quiet life, his apartment filled with photographs of family far away. A sudden feeling of protectiveness washed over her.

She quickly knocked on his door. When he answered, she said, “Mr. Chen, can I help you in any way? I can read some English documents, do some translating…”

She spent the next few hours helping translate the documents. His worry seemed to ease as he understood what he needed to do. Maria’s own anxieties about the situation dissipated as she focused on helping him.