In a moment of wishful thinking I decided to see if Blogger would load on my computer for what was probably around the 500th time in the last two weeks. I was shocked when it actually worked, and utterly relieved, for I needed to write about an experience I had just had. By the time I had typed the following story out however, Blogger of course stopped working again so I copied it into Word and it has been haunting my sidebar since/ Blogger seems to be working right now so here’s to hoping…
When walking back to my dorm from class I cross between a construction site and a hospital, and in true New York fashion, this entire walkway is covered by scaffolding. It is a short section of walkway, situated directly across from the school, and as I mentioned one of the buildings lining the path is a hospital. For this reason I have never felt particularly worried while passing through, despite the fact that it is not brightly lit, but today changed that.
By the time I got out of class it was already growing dark, and it was raining which made everything appear that much more eerie. I was busy thinking about the two papers I have left to write this week when I noticed a bit of a commotion a few feet ahead of me, a guy walking from the nook near the entrance to the construction site had his head turned back over his shoulder and was yelling violently at a person who was blocked from my view by the oversized construction dumpster. I knew that something was wrong but kept walking until the man passed me, and I passed the dumpster, I then saw a young woman who couldn't have been much older than myself, and who was at least two inches shorter.
My first thought was to mind my own business, but then I noticed that she was sobbing and looked as if she might collapse at any moment. Half a second was all my mind needed before it confirmed that none of the other passersby were going to stop to make sure she was ok, so instead I took two steps off of the sidewalk in her direction and asked "Are you alright?" As I did this a man in his business suit holding his umbrella at his side unopened walked by. He was probably on his way home after a day down at Wall Street and I knew that like most New Yorkers he wanted nothing to do with a stranger, he wasn't going to stop, but our eyes met briefly before he was gone out of sight, covered by the dumpster.
My focus went back to the young woman who hastily hid her face by looking at the ground and claiming that she had simply lost her necklace. I knew she was covering something up, so I asked "Are you sure you're ok, do you need any help?" and simultaneously took one step in her direction. I was close enough now that I could hear her ragged breathing and despite her best attempt to keep the crying out of her voice, I could hear the chokey sound that inevitably happens when a person cries. She seemed intent on shutting me out however, and like the other ten or so people who had passed by since I first noticed her, I also felt it was not my place to get involved in a strangers life, besides the man who was obviously troubling her seemed to have gone about his way and there wasn't much else I could do. This is how I justified my decision to turn and carry on, but I hadn't turned all the way when I heard the angry man again.
I kept rotating until I had completed a full circle and saw that the man had returned, apparently out of nowhere, and was now shouting, pressed against the sobbing girl who was trying to worm her way out of his grasp without actually looking at him. Outraged at his behavior and emboldened by the knowledge that I was in fact in front of a hospital, I called him out with a rather pathetic "Hey! Leave her alone." It worked. He looked at me and she took a few steps back. I knew I was in a dangerous position, but also quickly calculated that should he become violent, I was far enough away from him that I could probably make it into the hospital before he caught up to me. Comforted by this fact I called out again. "Leave her alone, just go walk away." He promptly told me to fuck off, and the girl chimed in with "It's fine, I just lost my necklace."
It was not fine.
I repeated my request that he simply leave wondering how long it would take me to locate my phone, unlock it and call 911 should he decide to turn around a carry on his ordeal with the woman. He looked back at the woman and I leaned in a bit preparing myself to cause a scene if he became violent with her. His attitude and her response told me that he was not afraid of public violence, and I had an inkling that his violence had started the current situation. Just as I really began to get worried and as he started to yell again, the man with the umbrella also reappeared, "Thank goodness." I thought, "Someone else in New York does actually care, and it just so happens to be a big athletic looking business man with a sturdy looking umbrella."
Umbrella Man chimed in with an "Is everything ok here..." that was less of a question and more of a warning that he would take action if it wasn't. Violent Man began yelling at the woman again, pretending that we weren't here, and without thinking I added my plea of "Just keep walking, just walk away and leave her alone" to the mix.
Before I even knew it, Umbrella Man was gone, Violent Man was making his way off by squeezing between the dumpster and the scaffolding while still yelling, and the woman unable to stand any longer had collapsed to the ground where she sat crying. I knew she didn't want me to approach her so I stood still and just watched helpless, unable to help. I noticed that Violent Man was standing not far off just behind the dumpster, but I was ready to leave, the last few minutes had drained me. I decided to wait a bit longer and turned a few inches so that I was facing him, but could still see her. I puffed myself up, took as intimidating a stance as I could, and nonchalantly put my hands in my coat pockets, wrapping my right one around my cell phone.
I then proceeded to stare him down, attempting to tell him through my body language that he was wrong and that I was not afraid to stand up to him. Really though I just wanted him to leave so that I could go berate myself for foolishly getting involved in a strangers life when in reality there was very little I could do to help.
A few minutes passed and the woman, who seemed to be regaining her composure, looked up at me and told me that it was ok, that she was ok, and that I should go. Startled that she could actually say anything other than, "I lost my necklace" I looked at her for a moment before responding "Are you sure?" "Yes." "Do you want me to walk you somewhere?" "No." "Are you really ok?" "Yes, I'm ok now."
She still didn't have the strength to move herself, but I could tell that she really did seem sincere so I looked back at the Violent Man unblinkingly for a few seconds, I knew he couldn't hear what we were saying, but still I was afraid that he would come back when he saw me leave. Right then I noticed a very steady stream of people crossing the street towards the walkway, the rest of the 4:30-6 classes were getting out, students would be walking this path in groups for the next 30 minutes or so. I turned and walked away.
Part of me is really worried that he continued on with his tirade as soon as I left, but the other part is telling me that "there were enough people passing through to prevent him from doing anything too extreme, besides what is a small girl like yourself really to do?"
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