I'm Walking Down The Street, Minding My Own Business...
I *think* I saw my first dead body last week.
On Wednesday, I was walking east on Grand from the Red Line to my office building, as I do every morning. When I got past the stairs for Nordstrom just west of Michigan, there was a guy in a wheelchair tucked back next to some sort of traffic light control box. I was so startled when I saw him I jumped...there's never been anyone back there before. I kept walking and I went on to work.
On Thursday, he was still there. I thought that was his new sleeping place or something. I kept walking and I went on to work.
On Friday, he was still there. Except he was slumped over. I didn't know if I should go and check if he was alive. It didn't occur to me to do it before. Thankfully, it occurred to me that I should not go near the body. What if I was suddenly deemed an accessory to murder or something? I am paranoid enough to worry about things like that. So when I got to work, I tried to call the 311 non-emergency number. The office phone wouldn't let me call that #, so I had to hop online and find the District 18 Police Station phone # and call direct. Thankfully, the officer who answered didn't take my name. I told her what I'd seen and she asked me if I touched him to see if he was alive. I said no and she said, "I wouldn't either." So I told her the exact location and that was that.
Then I started freaking out. What if he was dead? Should I have called the police sooner? When I saw him the first time on Wednesday morning, he wasn't moving. I thought he was sleeping. I wonder if there was something else I should have done? I can't imagine what but...he was somebody's baby boy at one time. What if he had family, or friends who were missing him? Even homeless people have friends. To have a friend, uncle, or dad just vanish is difficult for some people. It was cold last week. Maybe he was already dead of exposure on Wednesday. I just don't know what else could have been done.
On Wednesday, I was walking east on Grand from the Red Line to my office building, as I do every morning. When I got past the stairs for Nordstrom just west of Michigan, there was a guy in a wheelchair tucked back next to some sort of traffic light control box. I was so startled when I saw him I jumped...there's never been anyone back there before. I kept walking and I went on to work.
On Thursday, he was still there. I thought that was his new sleeping place or something. I kept walking and I went on to work.
On Friday, he was still there. Except he was slumped over. I didn't know if I should go and check if he was alive. It didn't occur to me to do it before. Thankfully, it occurred to me that I should not go near the body. What if I was suddenly deemed an accessory to murder or something? I am paranoid enough to worry about things like that. So when I got to work, I tried to call the 311 non-emergency number. The office phone wouldn't let me call that #, so I had to hop online and find the District 18 Police Station phone # and call direct. Thankfully, the officer who answered didn't take my name. I told her what I'd seen and she asked me if I touched him to see if he was alive. I said no and she said, "I wouldn't either." So I told her the exact location and that was that.
Then I started freaking out. What if he was dead? Should I have called the police sooner? When I saw him the first time on Wednesday morning, he wasn't moving. I thought he was sleeping. I wonder if there was something else I should have done? I can't imagine what but...he was somebody's baby boy at one time. What if he had family, or friends who were missing him? Even homeless people have friends. To have a friend, uncle, or dad just vanish is difficult for some people. It was cold last week. Maybe he was already dead of exposure on Wednesday. I just don't know what else could have been done.
posted by Chicago Socialista | 6:21 AM
