mybestkungfu's Diaryland Diary

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911

the man was sprawled on the ground convulsing
and there was a bit of blood on the pavement.
- a little past the roadhouse bridge -
8th and 8th SW.
the streets are practically empty.
it's a holiday monday.
the guy walking ahead of me hesitates -he looks reluctant to stop.
He hears me walking towards them and he turns to look at me,
i'm waving my cell phone in the air,
'yeah, i'll call it in,' i say.
i'm thinking
'sucker, i'm going to be late for work.'.

i dial 911.
i provide the dispatcher with the information that i had.
ie. the man on the ground looks like he may have been having a seizure
but i can't be sure, he's just breathing really hard now.
i just found him lying here. approximate age is 35.
i ask them if i have to stick around and she says it'll be
easier for them to find him if i wave them down.
i call work to let them know and during my call
a lady stops to see if the man on the ground is ok.

'I'll stay with him if you need to go, ' she says.
she crouches in front of the prostrate, paralyzed, bleeding
man.
'Sir..' she says, 'Sir, don't move'.
what?! it was one of the stupidest things i've heard
anyone say to someone half unconcious.
how about 'Hang on, help is on the way.' or
'Here, let me hold your wallet' or
'Could you bleed in the opposite direction of my new shoes...'.

his hands are contorted. he is bleeding from the face.
he has not made a move to get up in the last 10 minutes, nor
does he look like he has any intention to.
if you're uncomfortable about the twitching - he's just finished having a FIT,
i'm sure if he could control the tremors he WOULD.

and what were you planning to tell the paramedics when they get here
if i had decided to leave? you haven't asked me if i know how the guy
got there, what was happening before you got to the scene,
and if i've even done anything to resuscitate the guy.
i could have bashed him in the head for all you know.
ugh.

if i ever collapse on the street, i hope someone
with more compassion than me and a little bit more
wattage upstairs than this lady - finds me.

3:13 p.m. - Aug. 07, 2006

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