Chaos + Growth = Change


Thursday, September 1, 2011

No Words. Not Yet. Hope for Another Time.


Of the several activities I participate in the most dangerous is getting involved in other people lives. There is a lot of risk when one gets involved in peoples problems and by consequence you open some of your life to them. But in my book the reward far out weighs what you stand to lose. On the way home from my night shift around midnight I stopped to fill up the car. I noticed a young lady who was in her early twenties sitting on the walk way in front of the convenience store. She was leaning against the wall with her head down appearing from a distance to be sleeping. She was dressed in a goth type manner but not really fully committed to the style. A man that was dressed in similar fashion came out of the store. He was a few years older than her. He bent down and helped her get up, she was drunk, stumbling, feeling no pain drunk. And she was pregnant, about 5 months. He seemed sober but still struggled to keep her upright and moving across the lot. The fact that she was trying to light a cigarette at the same time did not help him, nor me. My mind was screaming-"WHAT KIND OF WICKED IDIOT ARE YOU". My heart ached for the unborn child. As they passed my car I opened my mouth and the only thing that came out was "Do you need a ride?". He stopped and looked me over with tired eyes that were not used to kindness nor trust. He replied with a sigh "Yes, we need a ride", and proceeded to help the girl into the back seat where she laid down and passed out. I did not say much as I drove and outside of directions neither did he. There was a lot I wanted to say but did not. When we got to where they were staying he looked over at my and said "Thank you not many people would do this. I don't drink anymore I had a problem, but she does and I am trying to help her." As he picked her up out of the back seat she woke up enough to look at me and say "You're awesome!" Then they were gone. I have five daughters, two around that age. The whole scene tore at me. What do you think? Should I have been the reprimanding father figure?  Would it have done any good? Maybe it would just alienate them further? I hope to run into the again, maybe then will be the time.

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