"A good moment for us"

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On November 14, 2012, New York Police Officer Larry De Primo was walking in Time Square, when he saw a homeless man leaning against a building asking people for change.  Panhandling is illegal in Time Square, but DePrimo was more concerned by the fact that the man was wearing no shoes.  The  25-year-old officer’s own feet were cold, even though he was wearing two pairs of winter socks inside winter boots. 

DePrimo went into a nearby shoe store and returned a few minutes later.  He knelt next to the man and told him he had some size 12 boots and some socks for him.  “Let’s get these on you and get you taken care of,” the policeman said.  They shared a smile, and he helped the man put on his new socks and shoes.  Declining DePrimo’s offer of hot coffee and a sandwich, the homeless man went on his way.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, their picture had been taken by an admiring tourist whose father had also been a police officer.  The picture ended up on NYPD’s Facebook page, and quickly received half a million “likes.” 

Why did this random act of kindness mean so much to so many people? Knowing the context, it’s hard to look at the picture and not be moved.  Reporters have been trying to squeeze every ounce of emotion out of the story, but I think they’re missing the point.

We look at that picture, and we catch a glimpse of a way of life we often forget is possible.  Life doesn’t always have to be a competition, with winners who are virtuous and strong, and losers who are lazy and immoral.  Sometimes, if we don’t look the other way, we can make life just a little bit better.  We can decide that we’re not leaving anyone behind.

And it’s not a matter of giving in order to get back. DePrimo made it clear that he knows this, by the way he described the shared smile he had with the man on the street.  “It was a good moment for us,” he said. 


Whatever happened to the Americans who used to believe in “Us?”