6/10/2005
the value of a phone.
So, there's this guy lying smack-dab in the middle of sidewalk, apparently passed out.
He doesn't look like an average street bum, but, he wasn't exactly clean either.
From a couple feet away, he looks like he's got a joint in his hand.
"Oh, he's passed out because of that", I think to myself.
A couple of people just walk right on past him, and, I myself was about to do the very same thing...
When I noticed one thing that was very out of place.
It wasn't a joint, it was a cell phone. One of those candy bar style cell phones.
And, a bunch of thoughts race through my head:
So, I'm standing there, stunned by the fact that he has a phone, and when a passer-by walks by, and, all I can really do is point out that he has a phone.
At this point, common sense finally kicks in, and, I pull out my own cell phone, and start dialing.
And, I've literally pushed 9-1-1, and I was literally a moment away from hitting the dial button, when, my discussion with the passer-by wakes the guy up!
So, utterly stunned again, all I can do is walk away.
I don't even look back.
...
The passer-by, (an awfully friendly fellow), follows along, and, we chat, like nothing has happened. (Luckily, he had the wit to actually look back, and make sure the guy actually stood up, and everything,... Which I couldn't even do. Utter disbelief and shock, will make you ignore minor things like, whether the guy was actually OK or not. :P)
...
Any other day, any other random person passed out on the sidewalk in NYC, I would've just walked away. The only difference this time, was that the guy had a cellphone.
The value of a cellphone, eh?
Even if you can't reach 911, some random dude like me just might notice, and wonder why the fuck hasn't anyone stolen your phone yet.
So, there's this guy lying smack-dab in the middle of sidewalk, apparently passed out.
He doesn't look like an average street bum, but, he wasn't exactly clean either.
From a couple feet away, he looks like he's got a joint in his hand.
"Oh, he's passed out because of that", I think to myself.
A couple of people just walk right on past him, and, I myself was about to do the very same thing...
When I noticed one thing that was very out of place.
It wasn't a joint, it was a cell phone. One of those candy bar style cell phones.
And, a bunch of thoughts race through my head:
- Why the heck was he passed out on a sidewalk, holding a phone?
- Was he trying to dial 911 (an emergency number? last words to wife+kids?)
- How's a bum paying for cell service?
- Is he dead?
- Why hasn't someone just taken the phone from him?
So, I'm standing there, stunned by the fact that he has a phone, and when a passer-by walks by, and, all I can really do is point out that he has a phone.
At this point, common sense finally kicks in, and, I pull out my own cell phone, and start dialing.
And, I've literally pushed 9-1-1, and I was literally a moment away from hitting the dial button, when, my discussion with the passer-by wakes the guy up!
So, utterly stunned again, all I can do is walk away.
I don't even look back.
...
The passer-by, (an awfully friendly fellow), follows along, and, we chat, like nothing has happened. (Luckily, he had the wit to actually look back, and make sure the guy actually stood up, and everything,... Which I couldn't even do. Utter disbelief and shock, will make you ignore minor things like, whether the guy was actually OK or not. :P)
...
Any other day, any other random person passed out on the sidewalk in NYC, I would've just walked away. The only difference this time, was that the guy had a cellphone.
The value of a cellphone, eh?
Even if you can't reach 911, some random dude like me just might notice, and wonder why the fuck hasn't anyone stolen your phone yet.
