The Ghost of Compassion

As I was walking down the street one day I saw a man cry out in pain.  I asked the man if he was okay and his answer touched me in a wierd way.  The man said simply he wasn't concerned about pain, he only wanted to know my name and the reason I had came.  I wasn't sure what to say to this man that I'd ran into on this particular day.  Then, I told the man in a thing of shame, I told the man my unknown name.  "The name's Walter but you can call me Mac.  I was on my way to the old railroad tracks."  The stranger smiled and kind of half laughed then told me words of great craft.  He said, "You anwsered my question, but I must say I'm confused.  Why'd you tell me a name that you never use?  Then, I suppose, that I'm not worth the time, because you couldn't even ask me of mine.  You saw me, a man in pain, but you weren't concerned about my name.  Your just like all the rest of the men of earth.  Your only concerned about things of worth.  Tell me something my dear friend, when will the pain be able to end?"