The Burden of Sight
She walked away from the convulsing man, trying not to see. For sight often carries that corollary, action. By ‘unseeing’ or pretending not to see this woman could discard the obligation, leaving the man to die. I am made of some other more humane material, I LOOKED, I saw the man was severely underdressed, jeans and a thin sweater. It was minus 15 degrees out! He had no jacket, or gloves, his hands were white. He was convulsing, face down on the pavement, spasming, jerking around. It was disturbing, no doubt about it, you can see why the lady looked away. But of course she walked away. This man would die if left unattended, I was convinced of this.
I went into the store and approached a security guard, someone who I knew was being paid not to look away. I took her outside to see what I had seen and she sprang to action. An ambulance was called, medical attention was provided.
I curse that woman who was such a coward as to walk away from a dying man on a sidewalk. Who was too weak to carry the small burden of sight.