General Discussion

Evergreen Emerald

(13,096 posts) Wed Dec 21, 2011, 08:27 AM Dec 2011

What would you do if you saw a man laying on the sidewalk? [View all]

I did something I have condemned others for in the past.

I was walking in Seattle and passed a man laying on the sidewalk near a bus stop. I have seen that man before. He hangs around the bus stop and talks to people. He has friends that sometimes join him for a cigarette. His clothing is dirty, and he acts as if he has mental issues. I assumed he was homeless.

So, when I walked by him as he lay on the sidewalk, I thought once--but did not think twice. I thought it was odd that he was laying there. But, he is an odd guy. I saw that he was looking around and decided he must be napping, although it has been very cold in Seattle.

I just walked by and stood waiting with dozens of others for my bus--not more than 10-15 feet from him.

I looked around a few minutes later and saw a woman talking to him while she was on the phone. I then noticed that he was bleeding from a huge gash on the side of his head. The woman called 911 and an ambulance came and took him to the hospital.

I did nothing. I walked by and did not even ask if he was ok.

45 replies

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Highlight:

What would you do if you saw a man laying on the sidewalk? [View all] Evergreen Emerald Dec 2011 OP

Ouch. I bet that hurts. Question is . . . what will you do next time? Lionessa Dec 2011 #1

I would hope I would call for help. Having babylonsister Dec 2011 #2

Before this happened, I would have responded the same way Evergreen Emerald Dec 2011 #4

this happened to me once in Anchorage. I saw a man laying in the grass alongside the road roguevalley Dec 2011 #37

The great thing about Christianity is that one can ask one's own self, "What would Jesus do?", then phasma ex machina Dec 2011 #3

So you would have magically healed him, turned water into wine, then gave him loaves and fishes?..nt SidDithers Dec 2011 #9

Way to totally miss the point! lunatica Dec 2011 #13

I thought it was a perfectly valid response Bragi Dec 2011 #15

Every major religion's main tenet is some version of "do unto others as you would have done unto you Viva_La_Revolution Dec 2011 #28

+ 1,000! left coaster Dec 2011 #31

That's quite untrue Yo_Mama Dec 2011 #38

Points noted for future ponderation /nt Bragi Dec 2011 #45

If you don't want people to laugh at your beliefs... SidDithers Dec 2011 #21

I suspect the person who posted this had something more like the "Good Samaritan" in mind deutsey Dec 2011 #16

And I submit Mitchell and Webb in response... SidDithers Dec 2011 #17

That's actually pretty funny deutsey Dec 2011 #20

I agree with you completely... SidDithers Dec 2011 #22

+1 You perfectly understood my intent. phasma ex machina Dec 2011 #36

That's pretty rude and insensitive, in this context. Quantess Dec 2011 #18

The context is that the poster dragged Jesus into the discussion... SidDithers Dec 2011 #19

I agree with THAT completely! Quantess Dec 2011 #25

Yeah, sometimes I can be ... abrasive... SidDithers Dec 2011 #26

The original poster did not know the man was bleeding Yo_Mama Dec 2011 #39

It's a TOOL Sid, no magic needed. You see, it's only too easy for me to sell myself on minding my phasma ex machina Dec 2011 #34

I actually found that to be one of the crappy things about it when I was a practicer. ScreamingMeemie Dec 2011 #44

Similar story... trusty elf Dec 2011 #5

I've encountered this....I check to see if they appear in imminent distress hlthe2b Dec 2011 #6

Are you male or female and how strong? treestar Dec 2011 #7

"Double check my route, because I seem to be walking in circles"... SidDithers Dec 2011 #8

When confronted with unusual situations in front of other people, the vast majority of us will do Brickbat Dec 2011 #10

Asking myself "What would Jesus do?" gives me the courage to actually DO something besides avert my phasma ex machina Dec 2011 #33

I found a man wandering dazed in my neighborhood once. EFerrari Dec 2011 #11

It depends on where he is. Abin Sur Dec 2011 #12

A homeless man was beaten, caught on video: Quantess Dec 2011 #14

It just shows that you are only human, and not some kind of saint. Ikonoklast Dec 2011 #23

Only because I'm a nurse... w8liftinglady Dec 2011 #24

Probably lie down next to him to see what he was staring at... HopeHoops Dec 2011 #27

Thank you. It takes a lot of courage to post something like this. n/t GliderGuider Dec 2011 #29

I suppose if I had gotten used pipi_k Dec 2011 #30

Something that's bothered me for ever. Yo_Mama Dec 2011 #40

Call for help. emilyg Dec 2011 #32

.. Liberal_in_LA Dec 2011 #35

One evening North of Seattle in Everett rustydog Dec 2011 #41

Thanks for this story. joshcryer Dec 2011 #42

I see this every week in downtown Seattle. aletier_v Dec 2011 #43