He gazes, completely perplexed, up at the new garage door and down at the fresh cement at the threshold. "How did that door get here?!"
I shake my head: "I have no idea. You probably ordered it and had it installed recently."
He looks at me, raises his eyebrows and scratches his head. When he pulls his hand away it's covered with blood. "Hey! I'm bleeding!"
"I know. You've fallen and hurt your head. Please come sit down over here next to me so that you don't fall again and hurt yourself even worse."
"What are we waiting for?"
"We are waiting for an ambulance-- someone needs to take a look at that wound on your head."
He sits down for a minute, but then hops back up again and staggers back over to the garage: "How did that door get here?!"
I shake my head: "I have no idea. You probably ordered it and had it installed recently."
"Hey! I'm bleeding!"
"I know. You've fallen and hurt your head. Sir? Please come sit down over here next to me so that you don't fall again and hurt yourself even worse."
"Who are we waiting for?"
This continues for 25 minutes and my heart is pounding. He's bleeding less now, but is totally confused; staggering left to right, sitting down, standing up; shaking his head in disbelief.
I call 911: "Hello. I think that someone called you about a half an hour ago to report that a man has fallen here on the A.strasse and I just want to confirm it."
The operator snickers: "Confirm what? That someone has fallen?"
My cheeks burn. "No. That an ambulance is on the way. This person is conscious but extremely confused. I think he has a concussion. The bleeding has pretty much stopped, but someone needs to take a look at the wound on his head."
It's a good thing I called, because they apparently have no record of the earlier call.
After I hang up I ask the man for his cell phone and call and leave a message for his son, who apparently lives nearby.
Within 3 minutes an ambulance arrives-- they ask me a couple of questions, but they're speaking muddy Schwäbisch, which I have a hard time understanding, and whatever I answer obviously doesn't satisfy them. They completely dismiss me, brush past, perform first aid, bundle the man into the ambulance and drive off.
I stand there on the sidewalk for several minutes feeling like a "stupid foreigner". It actually takes me a couple of days before I stop berating myself for sloppy grammar and remember that I did the right thing, that I acted compassionately and did the best I could in that difficult situation.
It's funny, isn't it, that it's so much easier to be kind to strangers than it is to be kind to ourselves?
6 comments:
Oh man, this just makes me mad! Here you were trying to do a good deed and people mock or ignore you. I've been in the same situation in the past, right down to the spending days being made at myself for dumb grammar mistakes. Good for you for remembering it's the thought that counts!
What a nice comment! Thanks! :-)
Good for you for helping him. The important thing is that you communicated enough to get him the help he needed.
of course you did the right thing and people should be happy that you were around. why would you doubt that? Don't be hard on yourself and don't take their ignoring you personally. I once reported an accident in Belgium but the ambulance people never checked or talked to me either ....they simply took the victim and left almost immediately with him (however the police did for a long time)
Betsy,
Actually, I've come to expect something like this from you. You are not one to turn away from helping someone. And what a wonderful example you set for your sons. That's why I keep returning to your blog. You humor me, you share your heart and of course show your compassion. We share many things and I can only hope to live up to your kind deeds.
God Speed.
Lisa in Indy
Oh, wow, thanks so much, Lisa! I'm glad that you keep returning to my blog-- I always enjoy your comments and perspective! :-)
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