Did you ever look the other way?

Did you ever look the other way?

I did once, in Paris, and I still regret it
Although it was a clochard
Although he was on the other side of the subwaystation
Although I had to catch the latest metro
Although I was young and all alone
Although he probably was way too heavy for me to lift him up

He rolled on the escalator
and fell down
then rolled on the escalator
and fell down

There were several people around him
I cried out that they should help him
But they didn't even react
They were just watching

Him going up the escalator
and falling down again
while I drove off