What is wrong with some people?

[Eireann]

This just happened today, and I had to post about it somewhere.

I went over to an acquaintance's to have my hair done, as I do regularly. After it was done, we were talking about this and that when she told me something that I still can't believe.

She said that she saw a clean, well-dressed couple on a tram with a baby about three months old. The woman slowly leaned forward and passed out. The man shortly followed suit. They didn't wake up when the tram came to the next stop. "Heroin," my acquaintance told me.

So, she was just telling me that she saw the parents of a young baby pass out on public transportation from what she believed to be heroin use.

"Did you call the police?" I asked.

And here's where it goes into the unbelievable.

"No," she said, "I don't trust the authorities."

When I was sure she had really said what I thought she had said, I pointed out, "That baby is going to die."

She actually believes that it would be worse to get the authorities involved than to leave a baby with two people who may be using drugs - who, at the very least, were unconscious in public when the baby was with them. And if they are on heroin, as she thinks, how much longer will it be before they're neglecting the baby for their next fix, if they aren't already?

I realized that she was going to stand by her decision not to involve the authorities, so I said, "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Well, the reason is..."

"I don't care! The reasons don't matter!"

As I gathered my things, we kept talking over each other:

"The authorities in the States..."

"I don't want to hear about it!"

"Just listen to me for a minute..."

"No!"

"But the reason is..."

"I don't care!"

I put on my coat, grabbed my bag, and left. As I headed for the stairs, she opened the door and said, "Thank you, Eireann."

How she meant that, I don't know. But I don't think I'll be seeing her again. I just can't be around someone who makes that kind of a decision.

[Panacea]

I don't blame you. She's a goof ball. I'm sure you can find a hair dresser who isn't crazy.

[HYHYBT]

I could see not thinking at the time to tell anyone, or (what I'd almost certainly have done) not realizing what you'd seen until it was over and done with. But this is different.

[Andara Bledin]

I could understand the idea that maybe not get authorities involved, but what if the reason they passed out wasn't due to drugs? What if they needed medical attention?

Why would you watch two people pass out and not get someone with the ability to help the situation involved?

That level of indifference to the wellbeing of others is just alien to me.

[TheHuckster]

You don't have to call the police. Ask for an ambulance. As Andara said, there are many reasons one might pass out. Why on earth would this acquaintance assume it's heroin?

Maybe I'm just being naive, but if I saw people pass out, the first thing I wouldn't think of is "heroin."

[Eireann]

From what I gather, this is a woman who knows a thing or two about drug use. I don't think she's been into heroin herself, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if she's known people who have. I don't know what led her to the conclusion that they were using heroin, but that was what she thought.

And, yes, clearly these two people needed help. Whether it was heroin or something not at all related to drugs, they were in public with a baby, and they were unconscious. One or both of them could have fallen and fractured a skull. Any number of things could have happened. But she decided that they were using heroin, and that a baby was better off with two heroin users who pass out in public, than with a foster family, and she doesn't trust the authorities, so she did jack shit.

[s_stabeler]

considering that we are talking about someone who apparently makes assumptions, is it possible that the couple in question didn't actually pass out, but fell asleep? I know I've nodded off on the train before... ( I woke up just before my stop) Granted, that's still not particularly intelligent with a young child, but it's an innocent explanation for what happened.

[gremcint]

is it possible she's making it up or really exagerating the situation?

[Eireann]

It's possible, yes. After all, she assumed that the two were on heroin. (Though it's also true that she may have seen something else - something physical - that led her to that assumption.) But whatever happened, she was very determined that she'd done the right thing by leaving the baby with them and doing nothing. That's what I can't stand, and I can't stand that when I told her I didn't want to hear anything else about it, she started babbling excuses and bullshit rationalizations. "I don't want to hear about it," does NOT mean "Keep talking and try to convince me that you're right, and eventually, I will bow to your superior life experience and exceptional wisdom." It means, "Shut the fuck up and stop trying to make yourself out to be some kind of hero in this situation."

[HYHYBT]

s stabler: exactly.