Memphis the Good, Part 05252007

I wanted to point out a couple of things I witnessed on my way to and from the Memphis Zombie March Friday evening.

• Walking from my car, dressed as an aforementioned zombie (blood dripping down my suit), trying to get in character (staring blankly, slight limp in walk) , I heard someone start yelling, "Sir! Sir!" Didn't think anything of it until a gentleman ran up behind me. "Sir, are you okay?" I turned, with my zombified makeup on and I think right away he knew it was a gag. "I'm going to the Zombie Walk" pointing in the direction of the Old Daisy. He looked like he he'd been had. I was pleased that my method zombie, from the distance at least, could fool someone. But I also began to feel sorry that the gentleman had to feel foolish to help someone he thought was in need. He did the right thing, the good thing, and he should be proud of doing it. I hope the false alarm doesn't keep him from doing the right thing again.
  


• Riding the Trolley down Main Street later, we stopped at the Marriott to pick up some tourists -- a large family. The trolley driver/conductor patiently helped them insert their 3-day pass cards and gave them some good advice about where they could eat (the Majestic, or the restaurants on Union and Second). One of their party, an elderly lady in a wheelchair, had to take the lift to get in the Trolley. However, when the driver tried to turn the switch to make the lift rise, it was stuck. He patiently worked on it for a few minutes. When it still wouldn't ascend, he called headquarters. I thought, "uh oh, we could be here for a while." Although the lady offered to hold the back of the trolley and let them pull her, the driver kept assuring her, "we're not going anywhere. We'll get you on." And they did, quickly. The MATA crew showed up in < 5 minutes and fixed the problem in < 1. The lady got on and they were on their way to eat.
  
  The driver and the MATA crew were just doing their job. But doing it with such professionalism, efficiency, patience and courtesy, for such a vulnerable and impressionable group as those visitors, deserves to be remembered.