That Saturday morning, the two friends, Eric and Joshua had arranged to meet at London´s Portobello Road market. Eric walked like a dancer, fluently twisting and turning his body avoiding collision with the dense Saturday market crowd. Soon he could see Joshua’s dark curly hair and red woollen scarf in the distance. He whistled and reached up high to wave, then followed a thump and a thud! Eric looked down to see the end of a white stick. Oh my God! I’ve just stumbled over a blind man, he realised. He had not seen him coming. ‘I’m very sorry Sir, I didn’t see you.’ “Nor did I,” the blind man could have responded, lying on the pavement.While trying to get up the poor blind man rolled over and bumped his head into a low brick garden wall.‘My bag, where is my bag? The long strap goes between the two short ones.’ Eric handed him the bag. The man was in shock. He seemed to be impaired not only with a lack of vision but his leg muscles were not able to get him up onto his feet. Eric tried to lift him up by the arms but could not tackle the weight. By now a few more people had gathered around and two strong men managed to put the blind man upright. As the circle around the scene thickened with onlookers Eric slowly withdrew himself and walked towards where he had seen Joshua. He looked back at the growing crowd thinking in shame I did all that. When he met up with Joshua he felt excited and relieved. London gave you anonymity. No one around him now would ever have guessed that only two minutes ago, he had knocked over a blind man.
How would you have felt in Eric’s situation? Which of the following do you agree with?
1. Eric is a coward and an idiot
2. Thank God for anonymity, so you can mess up and get away with it
3. Eric should feel guilty and ashamed
4. Shit happens. No one is to blame. Just move on
5. At least Eric should’ve offered the blind man lunch or something…
6. Eric handled it fine.
7. What’s the big deal?
8. Other Comment leave comment here
2 comments:
I'm conflicted on this. Isn't it always the case that our opinions about these kinds of situation flucuate depending on where we are in the moment or when we're reflecting upon what has happened?
I could easily say that I feel it was Eric obligation to take the time to verbally confirm with the man that he was OK. But, if it were me, rushing to pick my children up from school, I too would be relieved that someone else came to the man's rescue.
Dani
I agree, it was Eric's duty to make sure the blind man was not seriously injured. He should have hung around.
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