Be Polite to All

On a busy railway platform, a casually dressed, lame traveler draws the conductor’s ridicule. Dismissed with a mocking nickname and treated as though he could not possibly matter, the quiet passenger boards the train without protest. When the conductor demands his fare and threatens to remove him, the situation takes an unexpected turn: a fellow traveler recognizes the stranger’s true position.

The conductor must face the consequences of his careless behavior and the possibility of losing his livelihood. Yet the passenger chooses counsel over revenge, offering a gracious reminder that appearances reveal little about a person’s character, circumstances, or standing. This brief, warmly told moral tale encourages listeners to show courtesy to everyone, regardless of clothing, wealth, disability, or social rank. Its simple railway encounter delivers a lasting lesson about humility, compassion, and the harm that can come from judging others too quickly.