You Have a Choice

I had a chance to help a cockroach.  It was on its back kicking its many legs wildly in the air.  It spun in circles, first clockwise then counter-clockwise.  Helpless and alone, its tiny head was pointing toward the hard yellow plated belly of his armor."HELP MEEE!" I imagined it cry like Jeff Goldbloom.  But what good would that do.  It would probably find its way in to my house, lay eggs, and breed hundreds upon hundreds of other roaches to devour my crumbs and give me the creeps.  It was ugly and insignificant.  So I crushed it under my shoe.  It's better off this way I thought, for both of us.
           I had a chance to make a friend.  He had messy hair and thick glasses, and his clothes were ten years past their prime.  He was awkward and weird and wore Velcro shoes.  He was a nice guy, pleasant and kind.  He held the door for me as I entered the store, even though I was twenty yards behind him.  I never said thank you but he was still polite.  A little later while shopping I entered the elevator to go upstairs the door began to close when the man shouted "Could you hold that please?" but I just looked at him, and let the doors close.  He was ugly and insignificant.  And he probably smelled.  It's better off this way I thought, for both of us.
            I had a chance to teach someone.  What a terrific thought.  The young man across the street was in his mid-teens.  He was working on a car to drive around.  It was an older model Ford sedan, faded blue with a busted tail light.  It had dings and dents all over it.  It was up on jack stands with the front wheels removed.  The boy was wrestling with the brake pads and rotors.  I've been there many times before.  He didn't look too confident in what he was doing and he was swearing like a Toledo truck driver.  I was going to offer my assistance but the car was ugly and insignificant.  And it probably wouldn't start anyway.  So I decided to be on my way, its better off this way I thought, for both of us.
              I had a chance to make a difference in the world, a chance to do something good.  But I was ugly and insignificant and I passed up that chance.  And no one was better off because of it.