I'd love humanity if not for all the damn people

[the_siobhan]

I slept on the couch last night. It was kind of weird because the windows are all open and the plastic we have hung all over the place moves in the breeze. I kept waking up because there were unfamiliar sounds going on the next room. At one point I'm sure I heard something scurrying upstairs.

I was already in a weird mood. When I walked home last night - about 2 AM - there was a couple having a very loud and obvious fight. They were in a car, and I could hear the guy yelling at the girl. They would zoom off, stop a couple of blocks later, and then the yelling would continue. They did this every half block or so. Eventually I caught up with the girl walking along the street and sobbing.

She was from a completely different part of the city and had no idea where she was. I got her oriented and offered to walk with her to a place where she could catch a cab or a bus. Offered to buy her a coffee if she wanted to sit for a bit. She kept saying no. At one point the boyfriend came back, and when he saw me he basically told me I could take care of her and he fucked off for good. She burst into tears all over again.

Eventually I had to let her go. I didn't want to. But she was a grown woman who didn't want my help.

I still feel kind of shitty about the whole thing.

Comments

[notmostppl.livejournal.com]

I'm sure she appreciated the offer of help even though she couldn't allow herself to accept it. It can be really hard to believe that a stranger wants to help simply out of kindness, especially when the people who are supposed to love you aren't kind.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I still wish I could have done more.

Still, she was in a reasonably safe area and there was lots of foot traffic around, so I'm sure she would have been ok until she got to a main street.

[individuation.livejournal.com]

:(
You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped.
There's a chance that she's been taken advantage of her whole life and can't trust strangers. I mean hell, when you can't even trust the people who are supposed to love you...

You did the right thing - you should feel good about that.

[artistatlarge.livejournal.com]

Siobhan, I think too many people these days would have ignored the whole situation- "don't get involved"- which is a sucky attitude, but it's how things are.

You did the right thing. She was having a shitty night, and a total stranger offered her kindness and help- that's gotta count for something.

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

Too many people would have walked past and ignored her. You talked to her and offered help. That's all you can do. If she didn't want to accept it, that's no reflection on you.

She may have been too embarrassed or upset to accept your help. I hope she's feeling better today.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Valid point. I think if I had been in that situation I would not have wanted to a stranger, no matter how sympathetic, witnessing my emotional pain.

[ashbet]

*nodnod* Agreed -- but you absolutely did the right thing here, and a lot of people wouldn't have. You rock, you do :)

**hugs**

-- A <3

[artistatlarge.livejournal.com]

Siobhan, I think too many people these days would have ignored the whole situation- "don't get involved"- which is a sucky attitude, but it's how things are.

You did the right thing. She was having a shitty night, and a total stranger offered her kindness and help- that's gotta count for something.

[mr-sharkey.livejournal.com]

You can't do anyone else's time for them, but you can offer to bring them a cake with a file - you did, but she's on Atkins. You did what you could.


M.

[victorianrose23.livejournal.com]

Ugh. That's rough. Like has been said - I'm sure she appreciated it, even if she couldn't bring herself to accept your help.

And yeah, it's always hard for me to sleep alone in the house now that I'm so used to having someone there.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

I've discovered it's actually easier for me to sleep on the couch than in the bed. I just have to adjust to the differences in house noises.

(I tend to snap awake if anything unfamiliar or unexpected happens around me. PTSD response.)

[spikella.livejournal.com]

you did so much more than most would have done and if you gave her even a little comfort for a little while you should give yourself a pat on the back