I Am All Shook Up

It is Friday morning. As usually I get my son ready for school. We sit down together and spend a good 15 -20 minutes on a calm, unrushed breakfast and a conversation. We plan what we will be doing after school. 8:20, we are at the door despite the fact that the school bus comes at 8:33. My son wants to be the first one in the line up to the bus. Apparently there is an race among the kids every morning! The bus drives away into the blissful school day and a joy of public education system. Friday is my busy day. I have to get some Christmas shopping done. So I rush home. I get to the building and decide to take the closest entrance possible, on the side of the building. All of a sudden I hear a frantic scream of a woman. It comes from the building next door, right across from my balcony. I know this woman so well. She moved in recently. And she caught my attention because her curtains are always shut. In fact, I think they are hammered into the wall. She must be working nights, I deduce. Also, you can hear her from time to time on the balcony happily talk in Spanish on the phone. Maybe she is Cuban...

And now I see this woman standing in the freezing cold on her balcony in her sleeping gown! She is screaming "No! No! NO!" Over and over again. I see people standing across the street just looking. Some come out of her building, some on their balconies. Open and shut the door case for them. I walk up closer to her. She is on the second floor so I can easily talk to her. I ask her what is wrong, if i can help her but she keeps repeating the same "No!" She goes in and out of the balcony. The last time I see her she is talking to someone on the phone. I believe it is the 911 operator. Judging from the situation and from her appearance the ambulance is not for her. She seems totally fine, apart for the mental distress. Possibly she has discovered a loved one unalive this morning. I am so sorry. So sorry. How can I help. I walk over to the entrance of the building. I call the superintendent. He doesn't pick up. However, in a quick moment he shows up at the door. He looks like he knows what I am abot to say. Lady in distress, crying on her balcony on the second floor. The middle balcony on the eastern side, almost above you. "Ok. I will check what she needs right away." I am thinking what a kind and good man he is. He will help her.

And this how my Friday started. I keep thinking about vulnerability of humans as I walk towards my apartment. I am so sorry for her. The minute I walk in home I go to the balcony just to check if maybe I can be of help to her. But she doesn't show up any more. Later I walk out to go to the store and see an ambulance parked at the front of the building. It arrived without a signal...