We See Them....

[wilomn]

Wes?

Gotta leave them wanting more.

Tomorrow.

Or maybe the day after.

[starmom]

Well, I would have let him be.
Who's to say that his jacket is on upside-down?
Who's to say that he doesn't like it like that? (Maybe he doesn't like things around his neck and so wearing it bottom-end up allows for more room...)
Thorazine shuffle or not, this guy was living his reality.

[dsirkle]

Gotta leave them wanting more.

Tomorrow.

Or maybe the day after.

Karl Malden wants to know "What would you do?"

[wilomn]

You know, when I write stuff it is mostly for me because I really like the art of writing but sometimes it is because I need to, want to and sometimes feel compelled to. I want what I write to be entertaining and make people think, unless it's just an entertaining ditty or bit of fluff, then just laughing is sufficient.

The first part of this post I've rewritten several times in an effort to improve it, to give it more texture and depth, basically to make the hook sharper which is another way of saying I wanted to make sure you read it.

This second part I added maybe a dozen words, probably less, corrected some grammar and spelling and that's it.

I found that interesting.

__________________________________________

I passed the guy, he shuffling and almost stumbling, me moving along at my normal pace, easily maneuvering around and past him as I thought all the thoughts I've written above.

One thought though kept coming up out of the maelstrom of my mind, beating the others to my attention, scant nanoseconds though that attention was. It was sort of like reading a post with all lowercase letters, all flowing smoothly, easily readable, there to see and read again and again, except that this one thought was written all in CAPS, standing out whether or not I was paying attention, obvious by it's colour and size if not by content.

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT HIM TO DO WERE YOUR SITUATIONS REVERSED?

There and then gone. There and then gone.

So, I turned around and walked back to him and said, "Hey, you've uh, got your jacket there on upside down."

He sort of gave me a blank look, to me seeming to try to figure out not only why I was talking to him but what I was saying and then replied, "No I don't, it's reversible."

"No," I said back, "I don't mean it's inside out, I mean you've got the hood hanging beneath your backside."

Here's where all the little thoughts, all the sad thoughts for this guy’s life came to the fore.

"I'm sorry," he said as he tried to get it off, fumbling with the sleeve, "I didn't mean...." at which point I sort of cut him off by saying, "No, hey, no need to apologize to me, I just thought you'd like to know," and then I proceeded on my way, walking easily, not stumbling or out of breath, knowing, hoping, knowing that I would never see him again and feeling both good that I told him and REALLY sorry for the life that he told me about with his apology to a total stranger for failing to put his jacket on hood side up.

I've worked with, lived with at resident camp with, done reptile presentations at schools for, had some experience with both physically and developmentally disabled people, had a brother who was a care taker at a group home, been in state run facilities for these people, and seen plenty of just plain mean and cruel people do really f'd up things to people like this, not that he was mentally disabled, though I am sure there was something not quite up to par there, but I've seen some :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:ty stuff and his apology, so simply and quickly given, even the sincerity of it, he really seemed to mean it, told me volumes about this guys life and how he had been treated.

I'm glad I told him and sad that I couldn't/wouldn't do more.

I'm caught on occasion saying, "those who can should," and while I mean it, I don't put it into practice as often as I could. This too was a thought scurrying about the hindbrain as all this took place.

I've waited a couple of days to respond because I was trying to decide if I wanted to let as much about me out as would be necessary to explain it to the general public. But, I started this thread and as I've said, "those who can should," and I can, sometimes do, should more often, and maybe someone else will because of it.

Well, for once I'm out of words.

[dsirkle]

Yes. There are far too many people instinctively waiting to take advantage of or to display meanness to someone that shows an obvious weakness. And in today's society most of us avoid any contact with strangers, much more so now than what I can remember not so long ago. And both of those things don't reflect very well on our society.

[marmie]

Would I have let him be to avoid embarrassing him or to save myself from the uncomfortable . . .maybe both. Regardless, your story made me ponder my motives.

Bless you and anyone else for being one of those amazing people that are able to work with the physically, mentally and socially challenged.