Morrissey Helps Elderly Woman in NYC Bookstore

He has a reputation for being a bit of a grump -- and an outspoken one at that -- but Morrissey proved he's actually a pretty thoughtful guy on Sunday (Sept. 23), when he came to the aid of a fellow customer in a New York City bookstore.

According to Contactmusic, the erstwhile Smiths frontman was browsing at the Strand when he noticed that an elderly lady nearby had "taken ill." Before the store's staff even knew what was happening, Morrissey rushed to the woman's side and offered to get her a drink of water.

According to someone who says they witnessed the whole thing, "He picked up her stray belongings and asked if he could get her some water or call for help. She declined and collected her things and moved on," but not before "she touched Morrissey's cheek in gratitude."

"Obviously, she didn't know who he was, just was touched by this act of kindness from a nice British man," the source continued. "He seemed very shaken up and flustered by the incident and left the store soon afterwards without buying anything."

Morrissey: alt-rock legend, prolific blogger, bookstore superhero.