Saw a guy about 50 years old yesterday at a bus stop fall down in the grass. I stopped the car to see if he needed an assist. Thought of PEARL immediately. If you don't know Pearl the Minneapolis bus rider, her blog is a must read!
"Sir, do you need an ambulance? Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm okay. I missed the bus and got a little tipsy."
"You sick?"
"Well, maybe I been drinking a little. I know I shouldn't a been. I missed the 3:40 bus. I'm going to sit right here and wait for the next bus."
"Well you fell pretty hard. Scoot back under that shade tree. It's almost 100 degrees, and you don't need to be sitting in the sun. Otherwise I'm going to call someone." I used my teacher voice.
"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" He tried to win me over with a toothless smile. He inched his bony butt backwards, and I left him sprawled there.
I flagged a city bus roaring down our road. The young professional driver squealed to a stop and asked if I needed help.
"No, but there is a man who missed the last bus and fell down. He's sprawled in the grass at your next stop down on the corner. Could you wait for him to come on board?"
"Ma'am, yes ma'am."
Hmmm... I had NOT used my teacher voice with him. I also did not say the man was three sheets to the wind soaking up sun rays AND Quick Trip sold-by-the-single-tall-can beer.
QT is the gasoline/convenience store built (and recently opened) in the same spot where the huge Lutheran church was located for decades before being demolished last year.
I'm not implying the church didn't have imbibers; I'm just wondering what kind of congregants QT will attract.
"Sir, do you need an ambulance? Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm okay. I missed the bus and got a little tipsy."
"You sick?"
"Well, maybe I been drinking a little. I know I shouldn't a been. I missed the 3:40 bus. I'm going to sit right here and wait for the next bus."
"Well you fell pretty hard. Scoot back under that shade tree. It's almost 100 degrees, and you don't need to be sitting in the sun. Otherwise I'm going to call someone." I used my teacher voice.
"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" He tried to win me over with a toothless smile. He inched his bony butt backwards, and I left him sprawled there.
I flagged a city bus roaring down our road. The young professional driver squealed to a stop and asked if I needed help.
"No, but there is a man who missed the last bus and fell down. He's sprawled in the grass at your next stop down on the corner. Could you wait for him to come on board?"
"Ma'am, yes ma'am."
Hmmm... I had NOT used my teacher voice with him. I also did not say the man was three sheets to the wind soaking up sun rays AND Quick Trip sold-by-the-single-tall-can beer.
QT is the gasoline/convenience store built (and recently opened) in the same spot where the huge Lutheran church was located for decades before being demolished last year.
I'm not implying the church didn't have imbibers; I'm just wondering what kind of congregants QT will attract.
7 comments:
Yes, I agreed with your offer to Pearl. You two would make a great team. Both of you attract characters...
I'm not for organized religion, but I do respect the various religous establishments where people gather to pray and socialize. I don't like it when a church/mosque/synagogue is turned into a eatery or a store of some kind.
I forgot to say---a little Joni Mitchell with the title? ;)
Weirdo. Magnet. You were born with it, and you can't de-activate it. I'm glad you helped him, even though he won't remember it. You might have to start making regular QT patrols.
Thanks for sharing, nice article..
I wonder if he made the next bus? LOL
That fellow was fortunate you came along to help him out--that teacher voice came in handy.
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