What a morning
I was going through the regular morning routine. You know, pack up the kid for school, get lunch made, get breakfast made, and get on the road. We got to the school and parked the car. I don't always park, sometimes I just drop her off at the curb, but this morning I decided to park and walk her in. I walked her up to the sidewalk and she wanted to say good bye so we did and when I turned back to my car there was a long line of cars blocking me in. I figured it was just someone waiting for a parking spot but then I noticed a small group of people standing in the parking lot. This wasn't normal especially during the busy morning drop off time. I started moving back towards my car thinking that the group would disperse and the cars would start moving soon but than I noticed the blankets on the ground, the snow covered ground. It wasn't just blankets of course. The blankets were on top of a person huddled on the ground not moving. All that I could see of this person was a little bit of silver hair.
My first thought was that someone had fallen and the people around them were trying to help. Now I'm not one to just walk away from a bad situation, I find I need to be involved. I'm not sure why.
I don't know if I will be any use near the person and the small group but I do notice that the line of cars is growing because no one knows that there is a reason for the delay. So I head towards a person who is directing traffic (he also doesn't know that there is a reason for the delay) so I let him know and the two of us work to get the cars through the parking lot. With that under control I can now move my car and go home. But I can't. I look back at the person on the ground and the people around her trying to be of help. I walk over and ask about the ambulance, I know one must be coming, because the school nurse was just there. It is on it's way but the person under the blankets is shivering, her nose is bleeding, I still can't leave. I crouch down by the person and ask where she is hurt, I don't want to hurt her. They say her hips so I put my hands on her back, hoping that maybe I will give her some of my warmth. Another person is on her other side rubbing her arms. I continue to crouch with my hands resting on her back, hoping the ambulance will arrive soon. The people who are around her decide they best move their cars and as soon as they do the ambulance arrives. The small group of people start moving away from her to allow the paramedics room to get to her. I just watch, grateful that people who know what to do are now there to help. I go to the person who took the blankets, knowing she is the one who put them over this injured person and give her a hug and thank the heavens that she was there to help. She just says that we have to help each other, I nod in agreement and we part.
Once in my car I wait for the emergency vehicles to leave, when they don't seem in a hurry to move I decide I really should get going and that I can't really be of any more help. So I start to leave and notice the person who was directing traffic looking my way. I quickly pull into a parking spot and roll down my window. He didn't know what had happened so I told him the small amount that I knew. A woman was hit while she was walking in the parking lot. It was someone who works in the school but I didn't know her name. He thought he knew who it was and I assured him that she was awake and answering questions but that she said her hips hurt so she didn't want to move.
Now it is time to go home.
On the drive I kept thinking about why I needed to help, to be involved.
I didn't come up with an answer, but I know if I had it to do over again I would have stayed to help.