Another unusual event in Berkeley

@TheHorse (238268)
Walnut Creek, California
May 5, 2018 1:31pm CST
I am walking up University Avenue, enjoying the first minute of my 10-minute break from work. My destination is the coffee place on the corner. I see a familiar person 30 yards in front of me. He is a black man of about 60, dressed in clothes that suggest that life has been tough for him in recent years. We've exchanged hellos (initiated by me) over the past several months, but nothing more. I see him stagger badly. He weaves across the sidewalk and falls onto a parked car. There is a gash in the right side of his forehead and blood is streaming down his face. I say, "You gotta sit down." Another man stops next to me, and a Mexican man appears from the delivery door of a restaurant. The injured man is now sitting, leaning against the building. He has placed some Kleenex over the wound. I say, "Agua, por favor" to the restaurant worker, and then say "Been drinking?" to the injured man. He responds "I guess you could say that." I say, "Man, you gotta hydrate," as I pass him the bottle of water that the restaurant worker has brought. The injured man says, "I really appreciate your presence" as he opens the bottle. The other man who has stopped and I walk up the block a bit to give the injured man some space, and to discuss what to do. The police could do a "safety check," but they could also create unnecessary hassle, and might even arrest him for public intoxication. We (me and the other man who stopped) introduce ourselves (his name was Rafi) and I say I'm going to head across the street and get some ice, along with my coffee. When I get back to the scene of the accident (about four minutes later), the injured man is gone, and there is nothing left at the scene but a blood-soaked tissue. I hope he made it to a safe place. My hunch is that he lives nearby.
9 people like this
10 responses
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
5 May 18
That was very nice of you to help him out. Maybe he does and got home okay.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
I hope so. By the time I went to get ice, the bleeding had stopped, but there was a pretty big gash, and the area was swollen.
@rebelann (117199)
• El Paso, Texas
5 May 18
Wow, you're lucky he wasn't a violent drunk.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
Had he been a violent drunk, I would have just moved on.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117199)
• El Paso, Texas
5 May 18
The really bad thing about violent drunks is that some will chase you if you dare walk away @TheHorse
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
@rebelann This guy was too drunk to chase me anywhere. Plus my hunch is that I'm faster, as well as larger and stronger, than he is anyway.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30461)
• Corsham, England
5 May 18
That's kind of worrying but I don't think you could have done any more for him. In the end it's down to him. He was probably sleeping it off somewhere, hopefully at home.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30461)
• Corsham, England
6 May 18
@TheHorse Not everyone is concerned for the welfare of those they consider down and out. It's nice that you took the time to find out if he was ok.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 May 18
@sprite1950 Wouldn't it seem like "the right thing to do" for most? I'm not sure.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
Yep. If I don't see him, I'll ask around. I say hello to others in the area who may not be among the elite, to put things...gently.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111937)
• United States
6 May 18
whoa good for you there.To do this.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 May 18
I'm glad we looked after the poor guy. I hope I see him again, just so I can know he's OK.
• Midland, Michigan
5 May 18
That sounds a bit scary to me. I hope the injured man wasn't taken against his will somewhere. How do you think he got that gash? Might someone have clobbered him?
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
5 May 18
@TheHorse I read that. But, I thought he had the gash before falling onto the parked car. I guess not. Still kind of odd that rafi and the older man disappeared at the same time.
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
He was drunk and fell into a parked car.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381813)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 May 18
I'm glad you and the other guy stopped. Quite possibly if he made it home he'd be okay after he sobered up.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 May 18
I'll provide a follow-up if I see him again.
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
5 May 18
The injured man may have been thinking the same thing as you guys walked off, so instead of waiting for that possible outcome, he just took off. Hopefully he made to wherever and will get that wound taken care of!!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
That's my hope as well. I wonder if he'll recognize me and Rafi if he sees us again.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502190)
• Italy
6 May 18
May be he thought you were going to call the police and decided to "disappear".
@aureliah (24687)
• Kenya
13 May 18
You are very kind and I hope that the injured man is okay now
@Starmaiden (9308)
• Canada
5 May 18
That was a kind thing you did for him. Hopefully he was able to get stitches or a bandage for his wound.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 May 18
I wondered if stitches would be required/advised. The bleeding had stopped, but that was one heck of a gash.
1 person likes this