A few years ago our whole family was in Port Alberni. We were on our way from Bamfield to North Van, home from another stellar week end. We had stopped at McDonald's on the busy street out of town to pick up some road food. Next door was a KFC where we got chicken, McD's for the drinks.
As we came together beside Big Red (our Ford Diesel 250) we heard sirens and saw a commotion across the road on the corner. Upon closer inspection we saw a largish woman had tipped her wheelchair over and she, well basically, had fallen and couldn't get up. An ambulance was there helping her.
Well a very similar thing happened to me a couple days ago. After seeing the notary, I whipped up the hill to get a couple of things at Sally's, a store that sells everything beauty....hair stuff, make up, mirrors, etc....I parked down a ways passed the store.
As I came out and headed along the sidewalk to my jeep, I had to pass a little dead end alley. I happened to glance that way as I crossed the alley road and lo and behold I saw a pretty crazy sight. A very very huge, like six hundred pound huge, lady, had somehow gone off balance and gone over. She had kind of poured out of her chair, her massive huge chair, and was sprawled out on the road.
Oh Lordy! And she was NOT happy! I think actually she was in a lot of pain. I know from watching My 600 Pound Life on TLC that when these huge people move around their skin doesn't necessarily move in tandem and it stretches and tears (does that sound like I might have some bit of personal experience? NO!!) Hurts like hell.
I dashed over there asking the usual inane question, "Are you alright?" Of course she wasn't. So I said let me go get help and she yells "Nonononononoooooo, I don't want anyone around!!!!" So I tried to help her...yeah. That didn't work. It was like grabbing a melting cornstarch ball. Anywhere I grabbed my hands would just sink, and sink and sink some more. There was nothing solid to grab.
I finally told her "I have to get you help. I simply cannot lift you." She kept howling in pain and saying no. I was beginning to get annoyed. If you are incapacitated in some way, then accept the help you need. And that lady was seriously incapacitated.
But then I started to notice things. There was a lot of merchandise laying around. Books, note pads, pens, hair rollers, brushes, office supplies....Now I ain't no detective but in this little area there is a Chapters, Staples and Sally's. I think I was picking up on why she didn't want anyone near her. Methinks she was helping herself to stuff!
So I went around and picked up all her stuff and piled it on the sidewalk. And when she wasn't paying attention I went back around to the front of the store where she couldn't see me and phoned the fire department. I told them no siren and no fanfare that she was highly embarrassed (which she wasn't) and to just come help her back into her chair. And a few minutes later a firetruck pulled up and some gorgeous guys hopped out. "Hi Gladys. You did it again, eh?" WHAT???? They frigging knew her!!!!! So very kindly they had her back in her chair lickettysplit. Actually thats not really true.
It took six of them. They rolled her onto a tarp like thing and got her into the sitting position. Then they all grabbed a piece of the tarp and dragged her to the front of her now righted chair. Then they all grabbed a piece of her, slung a wide strap under her butt by rolling her back and forth then on the count of three hoisted her up on the chair. Clearly they had done this before! She screamed like a banshee the whole time, cursing at them like the proverbial sailor.
They piled her stuff back onto her chair in the back and down the sides in hanging bags. "You paid for this stuff didn't you Gladys?" And without a thank you or a look back she buzzed off. A very massive unhappy woman, and ungrateful I feel. I wish I was unfeeling enough to have taken pictures. They would have been doozies. But even I have a boundary....maybe....TTYL
ps: I tried to be empathetic, after all I am a large woman (not that fecking large though) but she was a cow, pure and simple.
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