Great story

Robert Tuttle was the first prof I heard speak in chapel at Asbury - in l995. He captured my attention by being interesting and real. I found an article he has written yesterday and it had this story in it. I thought this was a good example of the transcendent invitation. What do you think?
____________________________________________
I was sitting on an elevated train in Chicago with my back to the window facing rows of seats not three feet away. There was no one else in this particular car except for an elderly couple, seated directly in front of me. At the next stop two young women entered the train and took the seat just behind the couple. One of the women was smoking a cigarette. The elderly gentleman simply turned around and said that he was allergic to smoke and since there was a no smoking sign on the window next to her would she mind extinguishing the cigarette. The woman reacted instantly. She blew smoke in the man’s face and then, while cursing, slapped him on the back of his head dislodging a rather obvious toupee. When the woman saw the toupee she began laughing, snatched it off his head and began stomping it. At that point the terrain stopped at the next station. The elderly couple hurried off, pausing only long enough for the man’s wife to grab the toupee on their way out.

So, there I was, not three feet from these two women. In a sense of seconds I had watched this abuse unfold in front of me and if I said nothing I would explode. I remember praying, “God give me a word, I cannot sit and remain silent.” At that moment the abusive woman looked at me and I heard something come out of my mouth that completely astounded me. “You have incredibly beautiful hair” (which she did; it was braided and beaded and seemed to cascade down her back like waterfalls.) Instantly her entire countenance changed from a grimacing snarl to a radiant smile, at which point her companion poked her in the ribs saying, “See, see, see how good that makes you feel? Why were you so mean to that old man? Why didn’t you say something nice to him so that he could feel good too? You got an attitide girl. You’re my best friend but you embarrass me.” At that the woman hung her head, obviously ashamed. Since we then arrived at my stop, I nodded at the woman’s friend, mouthed the words, “Thank you,” and exited, utterly amazed. The woman’s friend had said all the things that I had wanted to say and more.