I was heading back to work from my lunch break when I saw two neighbors walking into the building. One of them had his pants down around his ankles. This is New York City, and where I come from, you mind your own business. I saw what was going on, nodded at them, and kept walking.

Then he called me over and asked for help. At that point, it was different. He was clearly asking for assistance, and he didn’t seem confused or in distress. Sometimes in situations like that, you wonder whether a person is fully aware of what’s happening or might need immediate attention, so it’s natural to keep some distance at first. But he seemed to have his wits about him.

He explained that he had some kind of spinal cord injury. His pants had dropped, and he couldn’t pull them back up. I asked if he wanted help with the pants, but he said, “No, just help me get to my apartment.”

So I helped him walk toward his place. One of the building porters came out, saw what was happening, and joined us. He tried to pull the man’s pants up while we supported him. We got him to his apartment, and I left them there.

He kept saying how embarrassing it was and that his wife was upset with him. It’s a tough situation. It has to be difficult and humbling to be in a position where you can’t manage something so basic on your own. It’s also something that honestly gives me pause. None of us ever want to end up in that kind of situation, but it can happen in the blink of an eye.

So I was willing to help, and I believe most decent people would do the same. But until he asked, I was just going to mind my own business. That’s the New York way.