Where's the Justice?

By skinner_jennifer

Sun, 17 Jul 2011
  • 3994 reads
16 comments
 

Walking out of the bank on a Friday afternoon, the
hundreds of people all going about their business,
I turned right towards the shopping arcade.

As I got closer - to what was once the old shop
Woolworths, I saw many people crowd around a body
lying face down on the ground, my stomach always
starts to churn, when I see something like this.

Not wishing to be a bystander, the people that
were attending to what appeared to be an elderly
lady, gave her a pillow for her head and seemed to
have the situation under control.

As I wandered past this awful scene, an ambulance
arrived, people started to part, to let it through.
I couldn't believe how quick this all happened.
When I arrived at the bank everything was as normal. I thought perhaps the woman had collapsed
with the heat of the day, as it was quite hot.

***

The next morning, I put the radio on, to listen to
the local news as I always do, when all of a
sudden, the News Reader announced:-

"At 1.00pm on Friday afternoon, two youths were
being chased by store detectives. The youths had
been caught shoplifting. They ran down through the
main shopping area, as they ran the youths then
knocked down a seventy nine year old woman, who
is now critically ill in hospital with head
injuries."

My heart just sank, as the News Reader went onto
describe the youths and what they were wearing.
There were so many people around at the time,
observing the scene, that I really do hope they
catch them, hopefully on CC TV.

I just had to write this down, I couldn't believe
that something like that could happen, within five
minutes of being in the bank, on a Friday afternoon. Perhaps I'm getting old, but it really
scared the pants off me! it's the only way I can
describe what I felt.

Certificate 12
Story
Stories
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by awsamy on
a moving peice of writing

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Jenny, I can imagine just how awful you felt, and indeed it was a terrible thing. I think you did the best thing by writing it down...the memory of something like this can often stay with us a long time, and it is one way of trying to put things in perspective. I do hope the poor lady concerned makes a speedy recovery. Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Hello awsamy, thankyou for reading and leaving a kind message. Jenny.

 

Submitted by Highhat on
I hope the poor lady recovers soon. You get a fright don't you? It could happen to you too when you reach that age. The disrespect is amazing but luckily there were compassionate people on the spot. I hope it helped you writing about it? It also helps making people more aware by writing about it. Well done, Jenny! ;)Pia

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Hi Tina, thankyou for reading, I have to say, that since it happened, it has put me in quite a bleak mood, yes I've been in a dark place all weekend, quite tearful in fact, but like you say writing it down can help, but it doesn't seemed to have helped at the moment. I just couldn't sleep last night thinking of that poor inoccent woman, who one minute was okay then the next, she was in hospital. I really hope she will be okay too, thankyou for leaving a kind message, it's much appreciated. I wrote quite an evil piece last night, it was just the way I felt at the time, just full of frustration. But I know I mustn't get angry, so I hope with time I can forget this incident, I would hate to think it might affect me in the future, you know always looking over your shoulder to see who's about, pretty scarey. Sorry to ramble on, but I just need to express myself at the moment, it could probably affect my work. Jenny.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Hi Pia, I just came off of answering Tina's comment, when I read your kind comment. Like I said to Tina, it shook me up, quite a lot and I couldn't sleep last night, that was why I wrote that Nether World poem, it was just the way I was feeling. I didn't go to bed till 4am, probably just as you were getting up. It's a strange thing, how situations like this can affect you, and like you said, it could happen to anyone of us when we get to that age, but even now, especially as it was so unexpected to that lady, they came from behind. Anyway thankyou again for reading and letting me know you care, I really appreciate that. Jenny.

 

Submitted by Cavalcader on
new skinner_jennifer Hi! Hope you will improve must have been a shock. But sorry to say, way things can be a bit now. And not many can have or give empathy. Joan Collins mentioned to not care used to be. I saw lady similiar the friend gone into shop, while two trying call ambulance, I spoke with her, soemeone got a coat, she had tripped and smack down on pavement, friend never came back. Elderly. I know different case to your's shakes one up. Hold their hand and talk till ambulance arrives taught. Mine I first met accident in road motor-bike all circled no one helped, but never move them had two more,bad ones never passed his test, so no more motor-bikes. Then I have seen other things to,once they cornered run and one has to jump out the way. It is hard put anything out the mind but you will, warm drink paracetamol or stronger, keep busy. And hurry up and blank the mind it isn't easy I know, people elderly in papers it is awful etc; like you mention. Sorry bore you. But you have done well to explain, some can't. Depends sometimes who it is and what it is about. No don't let it affect your poems and stories. Take care julie xx

Submitted by fatboy74 on
Very sad, I really hope she recovers - hope you are o.k Jenny, things like this really can get to you and I think it always works to get this sort of thing off your chest. I hope you don't mind me saying, but I don't think you meant for this to look like a poem Jenny, it was a bit confusing and I think it's important it should look like prose because you have something to say here which is important and it would be a shame if it put people off. I don't know where you live, but I'm sure things like this are pretty rare. I know what you mean though, these things can be haunting - I saw a woman collapse and bang her head on the concrete after having a fit about a year ago and helped with the aftermath and I think about it often. Take care and hope you have a better week and try to get some better sleep! ATB Fatboy. :-)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Hello Julie, thankyou for your kind words, I have to say that I'm afraid I'm a bit sensitive to things like this, I would never in a million years have made a nurse, cannot stand the sight of pain, I also don't make a very good patient, you see I'm a panicer, can't help it, been like it all my life, it's just part of who I am. I've seen some pretty bad things in the past, but thankfully nothing bad has happened for many years, but. I don't tend to read newspapers because it upsets me to much. This inccident just brought back all the bad things from the past. Anyway you were very kind to read, thankyou again for your kind advice, it was really appreciated. Jenny.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Hello Fatboy, You are very kind with your words and I really do appreciate what you have said. The problem is that I had a lot of suffering in the past and lost a lot of family. I also had my home burgled, my car trashed and all because of youths on drugs and drink. This inccident just brought back a lot of bad memories for me, because all these things happened in one year. I used to live in the town, but now live outside of town, in a peaceful suburb, I would never live in town again, it almost ruined me. Thankyou for your advice about my piece, I'm not absolutely sure what prose is, all these new words, don't mean much to me, all I know is either a story or a poem. I'm afraid I'm not a professional person, just a bit to old to understand it all. I just love to write, and have a lot going on in my head, that needs to be written down. Again thanks FB, it was great you read this piece and your input was very helpful. Jenny.

 

Submitted by fatboy74 on
Jenny that's awful, I'm glad you are away from it all - I think there are a lot of people on here who enjoy all this stuff going on in your head that you write down - me for one. :-) Sorry, I meant to say it would work better looking like a story. Please keep well and all the best. Fatboy:-)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Thanks FB, I fully understand now. Jenny.

 

Submitted by Cavalcader on
new skinner-jennifer The word justice is not always done whatever circumstances? Hello! jenny, how are you to-day, yes I fully understand I have been there too, in many things just like you. Play some soft music let tears flow if needed. I am and have been the same nature as you, wanted be a nurse or a nun once. But each thing and are happenings one has to cross each puddle some big some huge. Think you have done well to explain, some are and will be rooted for years, I know! to but listen and help is the very best way I think now. I don't know what prose is either or a computer three years ago. Help of all of you thanks. I was watching customs the other night, amazing how discover all the things,drugs hidden. Buy yourself something nice, creamy cake or a drink, warm your toes, put radio on, but keep writing? Take care. I wouldn't put anything on here at one time. Only a comp tried. Thought at first going be all Poets Browning Kipling so on not for me. Now I get carried away. Very stormy, blinking weather. And not good punctuation, just try. Take care came from big family I was next to oldest so brought up be there for all and d parents. Four brothers and a sister who was great once, till mum d. Another story. Dodgy? hurt. Don't see them now. we used have good children's parties mix in. I can't stomache things tv or papers either, and a relation had have tv turn off, if animals hurt. Been here quite long, things gone on and changed, can't believe. julie xx

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Thanks julie, its good to know you understand. Jenny.

 

Submitted by Steve on
this is a very nice poem. I'm glad you're incorporating more and more of reality in your work.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Thanks for your kind words Steve and thankyou for reading. Jenny.