about a week ago, april and i were driving to dinner in atwater village when we came upon an accident that had apparently just happened. the first thing we saw were about five cars spread out over the road in an unnatural configuration. then i noticed a figure lying face down in the curb beside a green minivan. he was lying with his arms tucked under his body. as we slowly rolled by, about 15 feet from him, he lifted up his head, turned it toward us, and let out an agonizing scream.
i thought i was going to throw up. i looked across the street to a gas station and noticed a police car and 2 cops apparently giving someone a ticket. they were close enough for me to yell to them, asking them if they knew someone had been hit and was lying in the street…. they said ‘yes,’ and ‘thank you’ and went on with their business…. i then pointed out to them that he was screaming. they nodded and carried on.
after what seemed like an eternity, everyone slowly got back into their cars, and the police began to drive across the street towards the screaming man. the screaming man who was about 100 steps from them. it all struck me as completely ridiculous. i dont know what was going on, but i keep picturing this man lying face down in the gutter, screaming…. and all alone. there was no one crouching down besides him trying to comfort or reassure him. just a few people on their cell phones standing near him, and the cops across the street, perhaps more interested in giving someone a ticket than helping a man in pain. since my brother is a cop, i know they are all trained extensively as emt’s. yet this man was suffering alone.
i suppose this all happened between the span of about one or two minutes. as we crossed the intersection, we were relieved to hear ambulance sirens. we drove half a block and pulled over, trying to recover from shock and nausea.
i know i have no idea what was going on, but it has been haunting me since then. and i mean haunting. i wake up in the middle of the night and see him, alone in the gutter, screaming.
i look back and wish i had run over to him and just at least tried to reassure him. asked him his name. tried to divert his attention at least a bit. prayed for him. i have done searches for accidents in the area, trying to get some kind of peace or reassurance that he is okay, but i have found nothing. i think this one is going to remain a mystery. over dinner that night, april and i kept telling each other that the man was going to be okay. but i’m not okay.
i need to know that he is safe. that he isn’t alone any more, lying in the gutter. and i want to be able to sleep again.
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