The other day my friend John Suiter in Chicago sent me a short sketch of a street encounter that in its simplicity spoke volumes about respect for the rule of law among regular citizens in the USA. A former Boston resident, John is the author of Poets on the Peaks, an illustrated account of the fire lookout days of Jack Kerouac and friends Phil Whalen and Gary Snyder in the Pacific Northwest. His photographs have been published and exhibited widely including at Lowell National Hist. Park. I added the title to the vignette.– PM

Photo (c) John Suiter, 2025

A Good Citizen

by John Suiter

On the way to the gym last week I saw a huddled figure leaning against the wall of a building along the way. I went close and saw it was a gnarled little old woman (I think), must have been in her 90s. Almost doubled over, I thought she was trying to vomit, but she was just catching her breath. Bent over with scoliosis probably, hardly able to raise her head. I said, “Do you need help?” “Just across the street,” she said, very weakly. I helped her across the intersection. She was clutching a leather folder, and dropped it twice crossing the street. Traffic was all backed up in all directions as I performed my Scout’s duty of getting this poor old woman across the street. On the other side, I said, “Now where?” She pointed to a door in a nearby row of stores. It was an accountant’s office. A guy came out and greeted her. He said to me, “Thanks. We’ll get someone to walk her home.” Apparently this was her annual routine. She was going in to have her taxes done!!!