Fragile

I saw a man get hit by a car yesterday after work. I actually "heard" more than I saw, although I was looking at the general direction of the accident not far away from me. It was 3am in the morning and the street was dark. I heard a loud thud, saw a yellow car slow down to a halt, then heard a man yelling.

"That guy is dead," said a motorcycle driver although he didn't approach the victim. I came closer and saw the a Korean man on his knees while clutching at the driver who got off his car. He was wailing like a child. I think he was drunk. Laying on the ground was another Korean, an elderly man, he barely moved at all. There's a tiny pool of blood around his head on the ground. The people around didn't do anything at all, just looked on. Except a woman trying to make a call on his celphone. She's trying to call an ambulance, I thought.

I didnt stay to observe. I felt bad that the people didn't do anything at all. I know you're not supposed to move an accident victim unless you're trained for it. I just thought if that was in Cotabato people would have carried the guy to the hospital on a car or a passing jeepney. Back home, if you waited for an ambulance you would probably die right there. No ambulance will come for you.

Part of me wanted to stay and see what happens next, but I didn't want to watch a man die. There's something sickening with the thought that a someone can be a living, breathing person one minute - someone who feels and thinks and you can communicate with- can be just a lifeless body the next minute.

COme to think of it, I have never seen anyone die...I wonder how doctors and nurses deal with it? Must be a numbing experience.