As an utterly exhausted new mom I once emerged from a downtown NYC subway station into rain, baby strapped to my chest. A drag queen crossed a street to give me her umbrella. This glamorous queen had full makeup, perfect hair and a chic skirted suit. “But..!” “For the baby!” “But.. I.. Oh thank you!.. You are just fabulous!”

She deadpanned as she looked deeply into my eyes, “I know.”

My then 11 year old and I witnessed a unhinged man verbally attack an Asian woman and her daughter near W72 and Broadway. Young white guy screaming the most vile Asian hate I’ve ever heard.

The woman couldn’t get away from this aggressor and finally wrapped herself around her daughter and just stood rooted to the spot.

We formed a human ring around her. A big guy chased the offender away while another called the cops, two people focused on the woman and since I had my kid with me, we got down on the sidewalk and talked to the kindergartener, who after a few minutes was showing off martial arts moves she was learning. God as I’m typing this I realize her mother probably was thinking about self defense as much as anything. Dang.

NYPD took forever to come. We stayed. The mom let me call her daughter’s school to let them know they would be late. Within minutes the principal called my cell back to find out how they could best support the kindergartener.

When the mom thanked me, I let her know that when my kids accidentally stirred up a nest of wasps in Riverside Park, I ran away and left them to their fate. I made sure the kindergartener knew her mom was made of pure titanium.

Afterward: I kept in touch with the mom for a week or so. She said her daughter was frightened at night but also felt that things ended with goodness prevailing.

When you see something, do something.