Because I'd Want Someone to Help Me... Monday, May 30

I did something yesterday that more people than I knew it had taken note of and watched. 

I was coming home from training when an older man so obviously drunk did a face plant into the sidewalk.  He got up and then did it again.  As in approached him some other man made a sarcastically rude comment about him and then rolled his eyes.  I walked up to the man, called out for him to stop and then reached my hand out.  I ended up practically carrying him over my shoulder with my training gear slung over my other one and taking him straight to his apartment building. Ive never met him before nor have i ever seen him but he told me he lived in the next building over from mine. 

Twenty dollar bills poked out from him dress shirt pocket and even a few fell too. Ever so often I'd either have to stuff the bills further down in his pocket or pick one up.  "Don't walk around with money like that!" I scolded him.  "This is a rough area."  Just this past week two guys on a bicycle crashed into each other at the breakfast joint I often eat at down the street.  The younger guy then pulled out a gun and shot the other cyclist.  That's the kind of area I live in so a drunk man stumbling down the street with money falling out of his pocket is quite the recipe for disaster that even the police I'm sure wouldn't show pity on him for stirring up.  Regardless, I decided to help him.

I'm a starving athlete, it's no secret, but I'm not a thief and I sure as hell don't want to rack up bad karma points for easy fast cash.  We've all had our share of hard days, this guy just happened to be having his today and I was there to help lessen the load of just how bad it could have gotten.  Karma baby, karma and simply understanding what it's like to be in someone else's shoes -- in the shoes of someone who needs help.  I was way too stubborn in Korea to ask for help all the time I really needed it.  This guy never asked me for my help but he accepted it.  

The whole incident took about 15 minutes of my time and in that time my neighbour down the hall, two girls I know in my building, the housing  complex maintenance workers, and about a handful of other people saw it all go down and then took it upon themselves to comment about it to me.  One guy even offered me money because he was so impressed by how honest I was.  My neighbour said he watched from his balcony and was so shocked anyone stopped to help this guy especially when he noted it was me. I'm somewhat amused that I was the neighborhood entertainment tonight. Didn't realize so many people were watching though.