A few years ago, I was out smoking in front of my office building (I've since quit, by the way), and I started to hear a woman scream "Somebody help me!" and "Get away from me!".
I started reaching for my phone, thinking of calling 911, but I was paralyzed by thoughts like "I can't even tell what direction her voice is coming from, so what am I going to tell the cops?" and "What if the screams stop before the police get here and they don't find anything? I could be arrested for calling in a false alarm!". It was eating at me... I felt guilty for not calling the cops, but I was too paralyzed with fear to actually call them.
Fortunately, a minute or two later, I saw her. She was standing on the street corner with nobody near her, and she was shouting at the cars on the road. She then switched up her words, shouting "What's wrong with you? Every day I scream for help and you all just keep driving by!". Turns out she was just a crazy person. I felt relieved there... and I suddenly felt much less guilty for not trying to help her.
A few years ago, I was out smoking in front of my office building (I've since quit, by the way), and I started to hear a woman scream "Somebody help me!" and "Get away from me!".
I started reaching for my phone, thinking of calling 911, but I was paralyzed by thoughts like "I can't even tell what direction her voice is coming from, so what am I going to tell the cops?" and "What if the screams stop before the police get here and they don't find anything? I could be arrested for calling in a false alarm!". It was eating at me... I felt guilty for not calling the cops, but I was too paralyzed with fear to actually call them.
Fortunately, a minute or two later, I saw her. She was standing on the street corner with nobody near her, and she was shouting at the cars on the road. She then switched up her words, shouting "What's wrong with you? Every day I scream for help and you all just keep driving by!". Turns out she was just a crazy person. I felt relieved there... and I suddenly felt much less guilty for not trying to help her.