Not the sort of thing I usually see
I had an appointment with the ENT again this morning, the cauterised nose has been bleeding again, although nowhere near as profusely as last year, so I hauled myself out of bed at a respectable hour, had breakfast and headed to the bus stop. I was met halfway by a neighbour who knew I was going and was told he would be my bodyguard. I said I didn't need bodyguarding, he said wait until you see what's at the bus stop.
So we rounded the corner and there he was. A near-naked man, youngish, wearing a baseball cap, underpants and something on his feet that might have been thongs. He seemed to be off his head a bit, making agitated movements, constantly walking out into traffic and back again, picking up his back pack, putting it back on the seat, otherwise seemingly unable to stay still.
We hung back from the actual stop, not wanting to get too close, just in case he was more unstable than he seemed and I really hoped he wasn't going to get on the bus. But the bus arrived, I got on, 'bodyguard' got on as he had business to attend to in the city, a semi-disabled neighbour also got on, then the near-naked man indicated he would also get on. The driver talked him into putting his clothes on first and allowed him to ride without a ticket since he didn't have any money.
He chose a seat, sat down and either fell asleep or passed out.
At one stop the driver did try to wake him, but got no response. He called in to the depot and explained the situation and I don't know what happened after, as I got off the bus in the city and waited for another one to take me to my appointment.
I'm guessing the man would just be left on the bus, or removed by authorities when the bus arrived at a designated stop.
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Very sad. Glad you have that neighbour to take care of you.
ReplyDeleteIris Flavia; it is sad, I often wonder what happens to people to make them turn out this way.
DeleteI am very glad that you had a Knight (though probably not in shining armour).
ReplyDeleteThat poor young man. I hope that he gets some help. The busdriver did well to get him to put on some clothing.
Elephant's Child; the non-shining Knight is my ex, who transferred to these flats a couple of years back, he knew I was here and gave up drinking the day he moved in.
DeleteOur bus drivers are good men and quite understanding when people are in a spot of bother.
Oh goodness me, how sad. At first I smiled to myself then I took a sad turn so to speak. It must have been comforting for you to have someone with you. I know it would have been for me.
ReplyDeleteDoes make one wonder what happened to him though.
Margaret D; I also wonder what happens top people that make them turn out this way, and that they also get help when they need or want it.
DeleteNot a boring bus trip then. Rather kind of your neighbour to chaperone you. Ultimately if the company can't get the man off the bus, it will up to the police. It is often best for the public transport vehicle to continue on and let the person wake up in their own time and they will be fine and leave the bus somewhere.
ReplyDeleteAndrew; I agree it's best to leave the person to wake on his own, but then he may still be disoriented and still need help. The neighbour has his heart in the right place, even with his brain being differently wired.
DeleteI hope everything ends well for you, for your kinghtly neighbour, his visitee, and for the strange young fellow.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte; I don't know about the young man, but the rest of my day turned out well.
DeleteNow that really isn't something you see often. The poor man is most likely ill and I hope they get him some help. Your body guard had to be a bit comforting.
ReplyDeleteArkansas Patti; it made for an interesting morning, but I hope to not see that again anytime soon, or at all.
DeleteI've seen some articles lately on needing many more mental health professionals for such situations as the police have abused their powers (no understanding of mental illness) and often shot these poor unfortunates. I hope he gets the help he deserves. Breaks my heart when I see others losing their grip on reality.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
WWW; he was quite well behaved, given the situation, he didn't make any fuss at all when the driver encouraged him to put his clothes and shoes on before boarding the bus and he didn't upset any of the passengers, just selected a seat and went to sleep. Our Police are also very understanding and helpful in cases like this, if they had been needed they would take him to the hospital for care.
DeleteHooray for the kind neighbor. I hope he would have done it without having business in the city.
ReplyDeleteJoanne; yes he would have, he's very protective when he needs to be. He's my ex the second, and has his own mental health issues, but likes to make sure I'm okay.
DeleteThat a was a very kind, thoughtful gesture by your neighbour....how nice of him to be your "bodyguard"...taking your safety into consideration. Many others wouldn't think to do that.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad no serious disturbance occurred, River.
Lee; there's a few here that look out for each other, despite the troublemakers, it's sr=till a pretty good place to live.
DeleteSo wonderful that you had a bodyguard during that. Very kind.
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Whisk; he does have a good heart.
DeleteYou had a strange time on the bus it is to cold to walk around without warm clothes he was on something that was for sure wonder what happened to him.
ReplyDeleteMerle............
Merle; it certainly was a cold morning, but he didn't seem to feel it. I hope he got some help or at least got home safely.
DeleteGlad the bodyguard was there with you. If the guy was under the influence, you were safer with the bodyguard. Wonder what happened to him.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane; I'm choosing to believe he got help and/or got home safely. I know he wasn't drunk, there was no beer or other alcohol fumes, but he did reek of garlic.
DeleteMy hope is that he got taken to the hospital and was tended to for whatever his needs, physical, mental, emotional, etc.
ReplyDeleteNice to have your own personal bodyguard! I would have been very apprehensive if I had encountered something like that on my own. I hope the young man got the help he so obviously needed.
ReplyDelete