An elderly man I was helping said his wheelchair wheels were broken. The screw was stripped. I called the brand's service number β the technician said only electric wheelchairs are worth repairing.
I walked to every repair shop nearby. The old bike repair stands are long gone β only e-bike shops remain. Not a single mechanic would take the job.
Then I saw a neighbor parking his car with a bicycle strapped to the back. I asked if he could help. He came with me to the old man's place. We couldn't fix it at first, so we crouched there watching tutorial videos on our phones together. And we actually fixed it.
The old man pushed the wheelchair a few times. It moved smoothly. He started smiling.
People like us, stuck in our 9-to-5 routines β how much time can we really spare for volunteering? The needs of our elderly are not being well met.