The Good in People

I know that when bad things happen it can bring out the worst in people. But not today.

Today I was driving to the reserve to walk the dogs. I came upon a man lying in the street. Seconds earlier a car had struck him as he followed the garbage truck collecting the local refuse. His coworkers were dialing an ambulance. A woman stood in tears shaking uncontrollably aside her stopped car near him and one of the workers was comforting her and telling her these things can happen. The other workers took off their jackets and covered their coworker and got a rolled towel to support his head. The man himself was awake and lying on his side unable to move the lower part of his left leg and foot. He was blind in his left eye and hadn't seen the car coming. He was in pain but calmly answering questions and staying still. I told him I was a nurse and did the three things a non-trauma nurse can do in that situation-keep him warm, keep him still and keep him breathing. A health aide stopped as well and brought a blanket from her car. A retired ambulance driver riding his bicycle had stopped to do what he could and kept the man chatting. What I noticed most was the support that the coworkers gave their mate and the comfort they gave the driver who was distraught. There was no blame ,no cursing , no yelling --in fact the absence of these things would be encouraging enough. Yet there was much more than that--there was comfort and caring among strangers whose only thing in common was being in the same place at that moment. The coworkers continued to comfort the driver saying that it wasn't her fault. The ambulance arrived. The injured man told me it would be alright and squeezed my hand. The health care worker waited with the driver supporting her while she waited for the police. People are amazing.

I drove away relieved the dogs hadn't eaten the car while I was gone and believing again in the good in people.