The best view I ever saw from my car was an act of community kindness.
A few years ago I was driving through our downtown at 3 p.m. While I was waiting for the lithe to change, a adolescent woman – clearly under the influence of something other than alcohol – stumbled out of the alley, took off her top, and began dancing around the lamppost.
There was a policeman two cars behind me. He turned on his high beams and got out of the car to “attend” to the person who was clearly in danger. Before he got there, the shop owner came out of his shop with a blanket. He pulled the woman from the pole, wrapped her in a blanket and removed her from public view. He was peaceful and kind and so gentle with her.
I jumped out of the car to see if I could facilitate and possibly intercept the officer. We entered the store. The owner had already called the city’s social diversion team and we were waiting for them to show up. He gave the woman juice and food and closed the store door so that no one would disturb her.
When the Social Diversion team showed up, two amazing women gave the victim a hoodie, walked him to the back of the store so he could change in private, and then took him through the back door to sources that could facilitate.
The cop was furious that we locked the front door before he got there. He wanted to arrest her for disturbing public order. Fuck this guy.
This shopkeeper’s quick thinking and compassion for one of his fellow humans is the best thing I’ve ever seen from my car.
