So I crashed on my scooter the other day (the Vespa kind, not the Razor kind). I was doing about 25 mph when I made a turn over some sand leftover from the storm, started drifting, and went sliding onto the asphalt. I got up, bleeding from about 5 places, and slowly started to regain consciousness. For the most part I was okay, and so was my scooter. My jeans were shredded and I was still riding an adrenaline rush.
I walked to the corner gas station about 20 meters away, dripping blood on the way inside. One of the customers asked if he should call a hospital. I said it didn’t seem that serious, but I asked the shopkeeper if I could use the bathroom to wash up.
“It’s for employees only,” he said.
I pointed to the blood coming out of my knee and hand. “Are you serious?” I said. “I just crashed outside your store.”
“Sorry, man,” was his reply.
Is this really what our country is coming to? Not to generalize my experience, but I was shocked. Does no one help each other out anymore?
My experience did not end at the gas station. I hobbled into my dorm hall front desk. I told them what happened and asked if they had some first aid supplies I could use. They returned with one 10 cm by 10cm antiseptic wipe. I asked if I could have more than that, and they said they weren’t allowed to give out a lot of stuff in case someone else was injured.
When I used the wipe, it was dry from being in the kit past its expiration date. The kit had never been used, yet they were still stingy about letting me use any of it.
I was once told that the opposite of love is not hate, it is apathy. I found that to be incredibly true this week.
I think it is pretty much the same in this country, people either dont care, or are too scared to help.
Perhaps you need to carry a pocket kit yourself, and I make sure to always have a CPR mask, on my keyring. Never know when you might be able to help someone.
Cheers Ron