Helping Hands

Helping Hands

I went for a walk the other day about dusk around the block. The sky was making its methodical transition from day to night with calming orange peeking above the surrounding buildings and making silhouette topiaries of all the trees in the area. There was a woman walking in front of me on her phone. Nothing was really out of the ordinary. For the most part a timid day.

Up ahead I noticed something strange. It was getting dark and a little hard to see so when I saw a dark mass on the floor I didn't think much of it until I saw whatever it was move. There was a man on the floor asking for help. As the woman who was just ahead of me past by she went into the street to avoid him completely and ignored him entirely. His cry for help were silent and tired, "Please... help".

I thought to myself as anyone else would and as that lady on her phone had, "this could potentially be dangerous, a trap, or ploy to get dragged in to an obligation to hand out money to a possible beggar". I couldn't blame her but then I continued to think and assess the situation ahead of me. "It would be awkward if I copied the lady" I thought to myself. I would rather risk my safety by going in the middle of the street to avoid someone who may or may not be begging for change? That seems hardly worth it. Either way, avoiding the person would just make me look rude, even if no one else is around.

I decided to take the plunge and walk by. The man spoke as I was in parallel, "help me please" he spoke softly. He was an older gentlemen with a long beard and some faded clothes so he fit "the profile", but I was already there and already decided to help. Given that he was prone, my first question was if he was ok. "I fell and I can't get back up. I've been here all night", he told me sadly. He didn't ask for money, he didn't ask for any charity, all he asked for was to be sat up. 

I assessed the situation a bit more before moving him because if he hurt himself badly, moving him could do more damage. I proceeded to asked him what happened. He told me he fell, couldn't get back up, and his phone was stolen so he couldn't ask for help. So the only person who stopped was someone to steal his phone.

After asking him a few more details about his fall I found out he is elderly and doesn't just look that way and that he is a local resident; not homeless. I decided to pick him up and told him not to stand. He asked if I could call an ambulance, so I did and continued to wait for him until they took care of him.

Moral of this story: Don't judge a book by its cover, get the details, and gain the courage to help someone in need no matter who they are or what they look like.

The sad truth about humanity: I think most people would have left the man there or avoided him entirely. Most people have an unrealistic amount of fear of the unknown which is completely understandable. Others either don't care or don't want to care (Shame on you). I've also seen it many times on the news, internet, youtube, etc. that people steal from those who are hurt or in a situation like a heart attack. It's terrible!

My advice to humanity: Get some courage and help whoever for whatever reasonable reason. Of course be cautious and you really don't need to be arms length of someone who needs help. Ask questions, use your phone, and use your brain!!! Oh, and don't be a jerk! Don't steal!