The S Word Blog: A mostly 100% sort-of-semi-technical blog by Thin Guy. Mostly.

Bizarre morning.  After the gym, I stopped by my local Albertsons to pick up a few groceries.  I was picking up some lunch meat type products (treats for the dog) and I heard breaking glass.  Since this is normally stocking time (6:30 AM), I thought to myself that a stocker dropped something.  Then more breaking glass (a lot of glass), and a big crash.

I leave my shopping cart to investigate and see an elderly man staggering then falling to the ground and taking most of a wine end cap with him.  I run down the aisle to give assistance and things don't look good.  Many cuts, a lot of blood, and what appears to be a broken arm.  What's worse is that he also seems to be going into convulsions.  He is shaking and has very erratic breathing.  A crowd of store employees starts gathering.  I start yelling that we need an ambulance...Blank stares from all, except for a "what happened" from someone.  I repeat myself : "We need an ambulance...someone call 911".  More stares, finally I say again, "Call 911" and that seems to make sense now and someone leaves to call.  It was probably a matter of 10 seconds between my first and third request, but it seems like days.  I have to admit, it's not what you expect to see early on a sleepy Sunday morning; broken glass everywhere, spilt wine, blood, siezures so I can understand if the crowd was somewhat shocked.

His breathing gets more labored, and then stops.  Oh god mister, please don't tell me you just died.  Now I really need to roll him over, but am scared to.  Scared of his possible broken arm, the blood, touching a possibly dead person, but most of all the broken glass I'd have to roll him over on.  I ask if anyone knows CPR.  Nope.  Crap, I'm gonna have to recall the last time I did this...on a dummy.  A stocker comes over to help me roll him over and the man takes a big breath.  Thank you.  I don't move him.  I ask if we can get the glass/wine mess cleaned up and the Albertsons crew gets on it.  Someone starts taking pictures.  Surreal.

One of the stockers mentioned that he earlier asked this gentleman twice if he needed help as if he was almost sleeping standing up.  Twice the man refused help and said he was fine.  It was very cold (for Southern Nevada) so the fact that the man is wearing a t-shirt and shorts was even more odd at this time of the morning.  These things, plus his overall appearance (minus the injuries)  I realize that this more about years of abuse of the contents of the aisle where the accident happened (wine/spirits), then about a slip and fall.  Sad.  Sad that this is someones son, and possibly father and husband.

The EMT's show up with in about 5 minutes of being called, pretty good response time.  I tell the manager I'll be back and leave to finish my shopping, although I can't really recall what I need anymore though.  I write a small statement of what I saw,  leave my information with the store manager, hoping I don't get brought into any ambulance chasing court case scenario.  The man gets brought out to the ambulance on a stretcher, not coherent.  Store employees come up and thank me for my assistance. 

I'm still troubled with the fact I had to ask three times to get help, but most of all I'm troubled with my hesitation to roll him over.  Driving home I was very sad.  But why?  I was the only one who seemed to act...but in the end I was scared.  Too scared to act when it was most important and that's not good.  Sad.