Aliyawanders

I’ll admit, this is a little embarrassing, but I think it’s important to share because it’s a story about kindness.  

I’ve always had a fear of escalators – especially the fast-moving ones, like the ones at MRT stations. Every time, I let others pass first while I psych myself up to step on. Sometimes, I take longer than I’d like, and people usually don’t notice.  

The night of The Great Guardian Unveil, I was on my way home when I accidentally missed the Pasar Seni MRT stop. I ended up at MRT Muzium Negara, needing to transit to the LRT Putra Heights Line. Little did I know, Muzium Negara has not one, not two, but three levels of escalators.  

I managed the first one. But the second? That’s where I froze. My heart raced, cold sweat broke out, and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t time my step. The more I hesitated, the worse it got.  

There was an exit nearby, but it was dark and unfamiliar. People passed me without a second glance – it’s not like anyone would expect a grown woman to be struggling with an escalator, right? I felt utterly defeated, and tears threatened to spill.  

Then, a voice broke through my panic.  

“Do you need help?”

I turned to see a young woman, probably in her twenties, looking at me kindly. She held out her hand and said,  

“It’s okay, Ms. Just hold my hand, and when I say go, we’ll step on together.“

With her help, I finally got on the escalator and made it home safely. To her, it might have seemed like a small gesture, but to me, it meant the world. If you’re reading this somehow, thank you for your kindness helping me conquer the escalator.  

The next day, I had another event in Bukit Bintang. This time, I wasn’t about to chance another escalator meltdown, so I drove instead. Sometimes, you just have to give yourself the grace to avoid a situation altogether while you figure out how to overcome it.  

Kindness, even in the smallest of gestures, can make all the difference.