While the world worried that Donald Trumpâs election as president of the United States would herald a resurgence of racist and sexist vitriol, one Toronto subway rider says the outburst of kindness she witnessed during her morning commute should restore your faith in humanity.
Salma Hamidi was riding the Toronto subway on Nov. 11, when she saw a man board the train, appearing visibly upset.
âI was on the subway and it was in the morning. Nobody is a morning person,â she told ŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ Channel on Thursday. âAnd this Latino guy walked on the subway.â
According to Hamidi, he sat down, holding his head, saying âOH GOD.â
After a few minutes, a man with what Hamidi said was a âheavy Russian accentâ asked if he was okay, to which he replied that he had a horrible headache and was running late for a job interview.
Hamidi offered him Advil, which he graciously accepted, but would wait to take later, since he didnât have any water.
Thatâs when a lady wearing a hijab piped up, offering him her childâs juice box.
âThe kid was not impressed,â Hamidi said.
The man started thanking everyone for helping him out and told them he was nervous for his interview as he hasnât had a job for a while. The man with the Russian accent told him to âwalk in confidentlyâ and âdo something about that hairâ.
It was then that someone Hamidi described as âan Asian teenagerâ offered the man her hair tie.
Passengers offered him advice until the train arrived at his stop, where they wished him luck and he went on his way.
Writing about it on Facebook, Hamidi called it the âultimate Canadian experience.â
âAll the sitcoms make fun of us because weâre too nice. So this was the epitome of that. Of every one being too nice, together, at the same moment,â she said
âIt was so organic and casual.[âŚ] And the fact that we were all first, second-generation immigrants just had some sort of significance to me.â
Hamidi still doesnât know if the man got the job. Sheâs waiting for him to reach out and update her.