The bigger the city, the bigger the jerks...well, maybe not, but I heard an example of big city indifference recently that had me wondering if people in bigger centres have lost their consideration for humanity.
A female friend of mine from Weyburn, who is taking courses in Regina, told me about an incident that took place in the "big city" a couple of weeks ago. She had slipped on some ice and sustained a fairly serious concussion when she banged the back of her head.
Upon smacking her head, she recalls letting out a loud yelp , which was likely heard by those within earshot. But as she sat on the ground holding her head with tears streaming down her face, no one came to see if she was alright.
My friend admitted that she was surprised by this but even more shocked when a women two parking stalls away acted as though she did not see my friend sitting on the ground as she walked past, got in her car and drove away.
Feeling dizzy and a bit embarrassed, my friend eventually managed to pick herself up and drive home. She was forced to stay home from school for a few days due to her injury.
This story begs the question: what is the matter with people? It's not like it was 2 a.m. and she had slipped outside a night club. I can understand some people not wanting to deal with the drunk and disorderly, but the incident took place in a busy mall parking lot at 9 a.m.!
Before long, I realized that this kind of behaviour is not just "big city" conduct after an elderly gentleman told me about the problem he has been having with his neighbour. It seems his 27-year-old neighbour had been spreading snow from his yard on the boulevards of his neighbours all winter, an illegal act. The young man accused the older man of calling the police on him, an assumption he had wrongly made but did so because the elder had spoken to the man about his actions previously (like any good neighbour would do before taking legal action).
The young man threatened the Navy veteran, suggesting that if he did call the police, he would come to harm.
I was disgusted to learn after hearing his story that this had all taken place in my own neighbourhood, right under my nose!
I guess it doesn't matter whether you live anonymously in a big city or in a small town where everybody knows their neighbour...you may not want to anyway!
