Only a Man
At first glance she looked like any other old woman.Plodding along in the snow，alone，neglected，head bowed.People passing on the busy city sidewalk averted their eyes，lest she remind them that pain and suffering did not stop to celebrate Christmas.
A young couple，smiling，talking，laughing，arms loaded with Christmas presents，took no notice of the old woman.
A mother with two small children hurried by，on their way to grandmother’s house.They took no notice.
A minister walked by proudly carrying his Bible in his right hand，like a well armed Christian soldier.But his mind was stayed on heavenly things，and took no notice.
If these people had noticed，they would have seen that the old woman wore no shoes.She walked barefoot in the ice and snow.With both hands the old woman gathered her worn button⁃less overcoat at the collar to keep out the wind.She stopped and stood bent and bowed at the bus stop.A red and blue scarf covering her head，she waited for the downtown bus.
A gentleman carrying an important looking briefcase waited near her，not too closely.After all，she could have something contagious.
A teenage girl also waited for the bus.She glanced repeatedly at the old woman’s feet，but said nothing.
The bus arrived and the old woman slowly，painfully boarded.She sat on the sideways seat just behind the driver.The gentleman and the teenage girl hurried to the rear.The man sharing the seat with the old woman shuffled uneasily and twirled his thumbs.“Senile.”he thought.The bus driver saw her barefoot and thought，“This temporal neighbor is sinking deeper and deeper into poverty.I hate to see it.I’ll be glad when they put me on the College Park route.”
A little boy pointed at the old woman.“Look，Mother，that old lady is barefoot.”The embarrassed mother slapped his hand down.“Don’t point at people，Andrew.It’s not polite to point.”She looked out the window.
“She must have grown children，”a lady in a fur coat suggested，“Her children should be ashamed of themselves.”She felt morally superior，because she took good care of her mother.
A teacher seated near the middle of the bus steadied the bag of gifts on her lap.“Don’t we pay enough taxes to handle situations like this ”she said to a friend seated beside her.
“It’s this tax⁃cut crazy Republican administration，”her friend replied，“They rob the poor and give to the rich.”
“No，it’s the Democrats，”a gray⁃haired man behind them interjected，“These Democrat welfare programs just make people lazy and keep them in poverty.”
“People have to learn to save their money，”a well⁃dressed young college man added，“If that old woman had saved when she was young，she wouldn’t be suffering now.It’s her own fault.”
And all these people became satisfied with their acumen and such trenchant analysis they had delivered.
But a kind businessman felt offended by this murmuring detachment of his fellow citizens.He reached into his wallet and took out a crisp twenty⁃dollar bill.He strode proudly down the aisle and pressed the bill into the old woman’s unsteady，wrinkled hand.“Here，Madam，get yourself some shoes.”
The old woman nodded her head in thanks.The businessman strode back to his seat，feeling pleased with himself，that he was a man of action.
A well⁃dressed Christian lady had noticed all of this.She began to pray silently.“Lord，I don’t have money.There is no way I can help.But Lord，I can turn to you in every need.Lord，I know that you are a loving God.You make a way out of no way.Now Lord，let your blessing shine on this old woman.Let shoes fall like manna from heaven，so that this old woman can have shoes for Christmas.”And the Christian lady felt supremely spiritual.
Atthenextstop，ayoungmanboardedthebus.Heworeaheavybluejacket，amaroon scarf around his neck，and a gray woolen cap pulled down over his ears.A wire running under the cap and into his ear was connected to a Walkman.
The young man jiggled his body in time to music only he heard.He paid his fare and plopped down on the sideways seat directly across from the old woman.As the young man’s glance caught the old woman’s bare feet，his jiggling stopped.He froze.His eyes went from her feet to his.He wore his expensive，brand new sneakers.For months he had saved from his minimum wage pay to buy these sneakers.Everybody in the gang would think he was“so cool”.The young man bent down and began to untie his sneakers.He removed his impressive new sneakers.He removed his socks.He knelt down before the old woman.“Mother，”he said，“I see you have no shoes.Well，I have shoes.”Carefully，gently，he lifted the old woman’s crusty feet in his hands.He placed his socks and his fine sneakers on the old woman’s feet.
The old woman nodded in thanks.
Just then the bus arrived at the next stop.The young man left the bus and walked away，barefoot in the snow.
The passengers crowded at the window to watch him as he plodded barefoot through the snow.
“Who is he ”one asked.
“He must be a prophet.”said another.
“He must be a saint.”someone suggested.
“He must be an angel.”said yet another.
“Look There’s a halo around his head.”somebody shouted.
“He must be the Son of God.”said the Christian lady.
But the little boy who had pointed said，“No，Mother，I saw him clearly.He was only a man.”
天使在人间
她第一眼看上去跟普通老太太没什么两样：低着头，孤零零的一个人，无人看管，在雪地里脚步沉重地缓慢前行。繁忙的城市人行道上的人们会把目光从她的身上移开，唯恐她的存在提醒他们，痛苦和磨难并没有因为圣诞节而终结。
一对年轻人胳膊上挎满了圣诞礼物，春风满面，有说有笑，没有注意到老太太。
一个母亲带着两个很小的孩子急匆匆地经过她身旁，在往奶奶家赶，他们没有注意到老太太。
一个牧师右手拿着《圣经》傲慢地经过，如同一个全副武装的基督徒士兵，他的思想停留在天上，他没有注意到老太太。
假如这些人注意到老太太的话，他们会看到老太太没穿鞋，她是赤着脚在冰雪里行走的。老太太头上戴着一条红蓝相间的围巾，双手把没有扣子的破旧外套的衣领裹紧了些，来抵御寒风。她在公共汽车站停下了脚步，佝偻着身体，等待开往市中心的汽车。
一个提着一只看起来很重要手提箱的绅士在她旁边候车，与她保持着一定距离，说到底，她可能会有传染病。
一个十几岁的女孩也在等车，她的目光一次又一次地扫过老太太的脚，却一句话也没说。
公共汽车来了，老太太慢腾腾地痛苦地上了车。她坐到了司机后面的边座上，那个绅士和那个女孩急忙跑到了车的后面。一个男人跟一个老太太挤在一个座位上，他的脚在地上不安地挪来挪去，大拇指转来转去。他想：“老了。”公共汽车司机看见了她的赤脚，心中暗想：“现在的这个临时邻座正在贫穷中越陷越深，我不愿意看到，我会很乐意他们把我换到大学公园那条线。”
一个小男孩指着老太太说：“看呐，妈妈，那个老太太光着脚。”尴尬的妈妈把孩子的手拍了下去：“不要指着人，安德鲁，用手指着人不礼貌。”她向窗外看去。
一个穿毛皮大衣的女士说：“她一定有已经长大成人的子女，她的孩子应该为自己感到羞耻。”她感觉在道德上有了优越感，因为她照顾自己的母亲照顾得很好。
一个教师坐到了汽车的中部，把膝上的礼品袋放好以后，对邻座的朋友说：“我们缴纳的税收难道还不能处理这种情况吗？”
他的朋友回答：“责任在这个疯狂减税的共和党政府，他们抢夺穷人的税收给富人。”
“不对，是民主党的责任，”他们后座的一个灰白头发的人插嘴道，“这些民主党的福利计划使得人们懒惰，一直处于贫困状态。”
“人们必须学会储蓄，”一个穿着考究的男大学生说，“假如这个老太太年轻的时候开始积蓄的话，她现在不会这么受罪，这是她自己的错。”
于是，所有在场的人都为自己的明察秋毫和入木三分的分析而自得。
可是，有一个商人模样的人对其他公民的不切实际的叽叽呱呱很反感，于是伸手掏出钱包，拿出一张崭新的二十美元，他傲慢地大踏步地穿过过道，把钱塞进老太太满是皱纹的颤巍巍的手里，“给你，夫人，给自己买双鞋吧。”
老太太感激地点了点头。商人大踏步地回到自己的座位上，对自己很满意，觉得自己是一个行动型的人。
一个穿着考究的女基督徒注意到了所发生的一切，她开始祈祷：“主啊，我没有钱，我无法帮助她。可是，主啊，我有什么需要都可以向你求助。主，我知道你是仁慈的主，你会变无法为有办法，那么，主啊，就让你的恩赐照耀在这个老太太身上吧，让鞋像吗哪一样从天而降，这样这个老太太就有鞋过圣诞节了。”说完，这个女基督徒感到极度地虔诚。
车到下一站的时候，一个小伙子上了车，他穿了件深蓝色的夹克衫，脖子上围了条褐紫色的围巾，头上戴着一顶灰色的羊毛帽，帽子向后拉着，盖住了耳朵，耳朵里塞着一条随身听的线跟随身听连在一起。小伙子随着只有自己才能听到的音乐轻轻摇动着身体。他付了车票钱以后，扑通扑通沿着过道走去，径直在老太太对面的座位上坐了下来。小伙子的视线一落到老太太的赤脚上，身体就不再摇摆了。他一动也不动，目光从她的脚上落到了自己的脚上。他穿着一双昂贵的崭新的运动鞋，是他攒了几个月的法定最低限度工资买的，圈里人都会认为他“这么酷”。小伙子弯下腰来开始解鞋带，他把自己那双给人印象深刻的新运动鞋脱了下来。他脱下了袜子，跪在老太太的面前。“妈妈，”他说道，“我看到你没有鞋穿，不过，我有。”他轻轻地、小心翼翼地捧起老太太带硬壳的脚，把自己的袜子和精致的运动鞋穿到了老太太的脚上。
老太太点了点头表示感谢。
就在这时，公共汽车停靠在下一站，小伙子下了车，在雪中赤着脚走远了。
车上的乘客都涌到窗前，看他光着脚拖着沉重的脚步走在雪里。
“他是什么人？”一个人问道。
“他一定是个先知。”另一个人回答。
“他一定是个圣人。”有人暗示道。
“他一定是个天使。”还有一个人说。
“看呐！他的头上有一个光环。”有人大叫。
“他一定是上帝的儿子。”那个女基督徒说。可是，那个用手指过老太太的小男孩说：“不是的，妈妈，我看得一清二楚，他就是一个人。”