Chilling in the a&e with Mum. Turns out even big kids still call their mommas when they fall over!
— Aych McArdle (@AychMcArdle) October 11, 2012
This afternoon, en route to help a friend out with something (I feel, for the purposes of being mad at the universe re karma that this is important to note) I took a tumble on Queen Street. So, picture this: I'm a sobbing mess on the side of one of Auckland's main roads right outside a school.
One man stops and asks if I am ok. I exhale "No, I need some help.." He walks away.
A group of German (I think!) tourists decked out in Kathmandu and laden with backpacks and groceries stopped. "Can we help you? What should we do?" One of their crew helped me up and we assessed that I could kind of almost hobble. Another member of the group helped me find my bag and get all my stuff together. At this point, super embarrassed and in searing pain, I assure them that I think I just need to sit down for a minute. They help me to some near by steps and carry on their way.
Feeling momentary relief I think of who in the area might be to help me get home. I realize I'm close to my Mum's work and hope she picks up her phone. Bingo, Momma never fails! While waiting till she can come get me I begin to feel really queasy. I start vomiting on the steps of ACG and no one stops to see if I'm ok. Students clutching shopping bags walk past me. Business people hurry by in their fancy suits with iPods on full blast. One young guy even stood next to me smoking while I vomited. Serious fail humanity. Serious fail.
I'm mad at myself for being so clumsy and sad that the majority of humans on Upper Queen Street at 2pm didn't seem to have a heart.
I've been analyzing this situation on repeat. Did I appear to be a threat? I can understand if someone walking past thought we might not share a language and trying to help could be a scary situation. But plenty of people walked past gossiping in my mother tongue.
Am I reeking of privilege for being mad about this? I had a cell phone on me that I had enough credit on it to call someone who had a car who took me to a doctors where I received free medical treatment. And I'm mad someone didn't just sit with me? Uh.
On the plus side I now have a new creative project: Bejazzling crutches.
