good morning

[leuschner]

Walking to work this morning, I saw a woman perched on a ledge three stories up, poised to jump. Emergency vehicles everywhere, cops in the windows trying to coax her back to safety. She's still there. If I crane my head by my window here at work, I can see her, pink pajamas, clutching a blanket . I'm really quite disturbed by this. Shaking a

Comments

[suxdonut]

oh geez.

send her good thots. it will help to be in such close proximity. i will too.

[suxdonut]

hey this isnt a leap year joke rite?

[leuschner]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004250882_webwoman01m.html

but that joke has gotten plenty of traction here, at least.

[leuschner]

i know your heart is in the right place, but that is a very silly thin to say.
physics + despair > good vibes.

people at my work are generally desensitized, cynical, dismissive about it. they (rightfully) point out how likely survival is from a mere three stories, how she just wants attention, joke about how she probably had bummed cigarettes off of everybody here. which makes me feel self conscious about caring, like i'm some silly bleeding heart, like i'm some cultural throwback. why do i feel defensive about giving a shit?

[suxdonut]

that is not a silly thing to say. sometimes hope and our best wishes is all we got. i guess you could try yelling.

[degram]

i deeeeeply feel your distress about actually not being cavalier and snide about someone's LIFE. Co-workers who deal with their own discomfort and helplessness by being total shitwads, well....that's their problem, not yours. So, just don't say anything and ignore them. It's the social equivalent of laughing at the nerd girl who gets beat up in the library by the basketball player. (not that that was ever me, lala nope.)

The bottom line, love, is that all you can do is write a REAL BIG SIGN that says, "THIS TOO SHALL PASS, AND ALSO THERE IS ICE CREAM. NO GUARANTEE OF ICE CREAM AFTER DEATH."

all my love to you, baby.

-gedged

[grayautumnday]

you shouldn't have to feel self-conscious about your caring - I think that most of us have just become too jaded. Hard to live with empathy in the western world these days, especially in cities where we're all so crowded.

In former incarnations (adolescence) I lived my life as the woman on the edge of the building. Maybe it is just a "ploy" to get attention - but she wouldn't be doing it if she didn't really NEED that attention. Everyone needs someone to care about them, even if it's strangers.

Hopefully, she will get some help. Seattle's pretty good for mental health resources, I know from a great deal of experience with the local system. There but for the grace of psychiatrists go I.

Thanks for caring.