The best sight I ever saw from my car was an act of social kindness.
A few years ago I was driving through our downtown at 3:00 in the afternoon. While I was waiting for the light to change, a young woman – clearly under the influence of something beyond alcohol – stumbled out of an alley, took off her top and started dancing around a light post.
There was a cop two cars behind me. He lit up his flashers and got out of his car to go “deal with” this person who was clearly in distress. Before he got there, a shop owner came out of his shop with a blanket. He coaxed the woman off the pole, wrapped her in a blanket and got her out of public view. He was quiet, kind, and so gentle with her.
I hopped out of my car to see if I could help – and to possibly intercept the cop. We went into the shop. The owner had already called our city’s Social Diversion team, and we waited for them to show up. He gave the woman juice and food, and locked the door of the shop so nobody would bother her.
When the Social Diversion team showed up, two amazing women gave the victim a hoodie, escorted her to the back of the store so she could change in private, and then took her out the back door, to resources that could help.
The cop was hopping mad that we’d locked the front door before he got there. He wanted to arrest her for creating a public disturbance. Fuck that guy.
That shopkeeper’s quick thinking and compassion for one of his fellow humans, is the best thing I’ve ever seen from my car.
