Saturday, May 19, 2018 2:51 AM

Friday morning: a white-haired man with a cane jaywalks across a busy street. Traffic comes to a halt and waits. He moves an inch or two with each step, pausing between them. I expect to hear the usual frenzied honking, but the cars remain silent, except for the music that streams from some open windows. He arrives at our side of the street and steps toward the bus stop. Teenagers get up from their seats to make room. Several buses come and go. When his bus arrives, he tells the person standing next to him, who stands and waves it down. He tries to get on the bus but can't step high enough. A soldier sets her bag down, places her hand under his arms, and lifts him high enough for him to get on. A sign above the first seat on the bus quotes Leviticus: "Before the aged, rise." With only a brief flash of annoyance, the woman sitting there gets up and moves back. The man sits down. The bus moves on.