Inconsideration knows no zip code

Hattiesburg American, June 16, 2008

Have you seen the video of Mr. Angel Torres? He was the victim of a hit-and-run on a busy Hartford, Conn., street.

Onlookers never got closer than five feet. Some cars even drove around Mr. Torres lying there, helpless, in the street.

Initially I thought, "How could these bystanders simply stand and gawk?" My second thought was, "That would never happen here."

Only liberal Yankees could be so cold-hearted as to ignore someone in their time of need.

Then it did happen here. No, not exactly as it did in Connecticut, but similar enough.

On Saturday, June 7, my wife and I were in the turn lane on U.S. 98 waiting to cross the highway to get to the drive-through of a local fast food eatery. Five cars in front of us sat an SUV that was not taking advantage of the gaps in oncoming traffic.

Drivers behind this car began to honk their displeasure and, after several of these gaps came and went, they drove angrily around the stationary automobile and on to their destinations. Not one of these drivers, myself included, stopped to see if we could help. And why should we? We were all in a hurry to get to our destinations and this SUV was in our way. There were two young ladies in the car and the driver was talking on a cell phone. No flashers were on and there were no signs of distress.

After going through the drive-through, we noticed the SUV had still not moved. I pulled to the highway and looked at my wife. We agreed that we should stop and check on them.

Crossing to the vehicle we asked if we could help by maybe pushing them to a safer area. The younger girl, we'll call her "Linda," on the passenger side assured us they would be OK.

She told us the driver, her sister, "Kay," was a diabetic and was having some problems but parents had been called and an ambulance was on the way.

My wife got out of our truck to medically assist and asked me to get a fruit punch from our cooler for Kay. Before the ambulance could get there this young lady had gone from bad to worse and was having trouble swallowing the drink.

Shortly after the paramedics arrived they had Kay loaded in the ambulance and on her way to the hospital. I drove the SUV to the hospital where her family could pick it up when they arrived.

By the time my wife delivered the keys to Linda in the ER waiting room, Kay was doing much better. Having lost our daughter just 16 months prior, this event, needless to say, was horrifically reminiscent.

Callousness is not territorial. Those of us who simply went past this "annoyance" should be ashamed of ourselves. I know I was. Passing them in the first place was wrong of me. It won't happen again.

Kay, wherever you are, thanks for teaching me a lesson.