Feb. 1, 2011. I'll never forget that day.
As two of my blockmates and I were waiting for a jeepney (SM North/Trinoma), we noticed a small group of people crowding over someone just opposite our side of the street. Then it hit us. A man was lying on the ground (he was having a heart attack/seizure, I honestly don't know). No one in that crowd tried to approach him, they were just looking at him!
Nine told us that we should go over there, I was like "are you sure?". It's not that I didn't care that time, but I was so surprised (astonished) that I was witnessing that scene in front of me, and frankly, I was scared.
As we approach, one of the woman was asking the old man, "sir, what's your name?". She repeated it like thrice, and I thought can't you even think? the guy is having a seizure, he can't even speak. Guards then appeared. They were telling us to call the infirmary, the thing is, we don't know the number :(. My friends and I decided to stop a car, luckily the driver stopped. He looked hesitant at first, but we told him what happened, and he kindly agreed (the guy was my classmate in one of my GE courses a few years back, what a coincidence right?).
The men tried to carry the old man, and really, if you'd only seen how they carried the man, you'll be shocked, gladly, we (friends & I) knew a bit about first aid.
Then came another problem. The driver asked who would like to join him on the way to the hospital. Given the number of people around, you'd thought that someone should be on the car already, but none did. The annoying woman from before, told us that we should come! The nerve (forgive me). Seeing that no one would volunteer, we decided to go, just then, one of the security guard presented himself, and we let him.
I felt so grateful to my old classmate (though I doubt he can still remember me). I feel sorry for him too. Siya na nga yung naabala, tapos wala pang gustong sumama sa kanya. Sobra lang talaga.
Then there's this one person who was a nurse. He walked kind of almighty towards the car (I think to check on the man), and all the while I thought he'll accompany the man, but he just checked the man's temperature and after learning that he's sort of cold, he left. LIKE GRRRRRRRRR. If he isn't an idiot, then he'll notice that the temperature that time was cold, the man had been lying for minutes in cold cement. Even I was feeling cold that time. He's a nurse for pit's sake.
I realized a lot of things that time:
that my course is useless (o please forgive me, but what can a researcher do in times like that?)
that if only I have the money, I'll become a doctor
that people can't be reliable
that I'm not prepared for that kind of situation
Up 'til now, I do not know what happened to the man. I hope he's okay. Really.