Before coming to Quartzsite I spent a couple days in Phoenix, and I made a few observations. The first is that people there smoke meth like people back east smoke pot. I often stay up late and in Phoenix everyone up after dark was looking for glass.
The second observation comes in the form of a narrative. Saturday I learned when half the streets were shut down that there was a parade happening. So I parked the van and went out on foot to join the spectators. Rounding a corner, I saw a man sprawled out on the sidewalk trying to get up. People were walking past him, and I was about to do the same until I got close enough to see the pool of blood on the concrete and the back of his head which was still freshly bleeding. This was at noon on a sunny day, and all the blood was still wet.
Drunks, junkies, scam artists, and people who are otherwise homeless of their own making exist in every city, and it's easier to keep walking than to take a chance on someone. No one else was taking a second glance at him. I stopped anyway and asked him if he was alright. He asked me for help getting up. Even with me lifting half his weight, he couldn't get on his feet. I said I'd call for an ambulance, which he refused, but thanked me for stopping. Then he laid back down next to his pool of blood and closed his eyes.
His hands were rough, but his clothes were clean and he was mostly well groomed. I didn't notice any strong smells (booze, b.o.) in the time I was close enough to try to lift him. So I still wasn't sure whether he was f-ked up on substances, or if he had a concussion, or both. But regardless of his own condition or desire for medical services, at the very least he shouldn't be bleeding out in a busy public area. So I walked to a cop at a nearby barricade (one of many for the parade) and told him of the man and his condition.
The officer's response? "Oh, he's still there? Someone else said that an hour ago."
Now, I've been in a lot of cities where drinking in public, homelessness, people sleeping on the streets and etc is overlooked, and I understand how easy it is to become galvanized to these forms of scenery. But when there's a fresh puddle of blood amidst foot traffic? Only two people in the span of an hour took interest in that, and neither one was the police officer?
Yeah I don't think I'll be going back. Too many tweakers.
The officer did later say he would send someone to find the guy. Presumably even if the man is homeless they should give him medical attention.
The second observation comes in the form of a narrative. Saturday I learned when half the streets were shut down that there was a parade happening. So I parked the van and went out on foot to join the spectators. Rounding a corner, I saw a man sprawled out on the sidewalk trying to get up. People were walking past him, and I was about to do the same until I got close enough to see the pool of blood on the concrete and the back of his head which was still freshly bleeding. This was at noon on a sunny day, and all the blood was still wet.
Drunks, junkies, scam artists, and people who are otherwise homeless of their own making exist in every city, and it's easier to keep walking than to take a chance on someone. No one else was taking a second glance at him. I stopped anyway and asked him if he was alright. He asked me for help getting up. Even with me lifting half his weight, he couldn't get on his feet. I said I'd call for an ambulance, which he refused, but thanked me for stopping. Then he laid back down next to his pool of blood and closed his eyes.
His hands were rough, but his clothes were clean and he was mostly well groomed. I didn't notice any strong smells (booze, b.o.) in the time I was close enough to try to lift him. So I still wasn't sure whether he was f-ked up on substances, or if he had a concussion, or both. But regardless of his own condition or desire for medical services, at the very least he shouldn't be bleeding out in a busy public area. So I walked to a cop at a nearby barricade (one of many for the parade) and told him of the man and his condition.
The officer's response? "Oh, he's still there? Someone else said that an hour ago."
Now, I've been in a lot of cities where drinking in public, homelessness, people sleeping on the streets and etc is overlooked, and I understand how easy it is to become galvanized to these forms of scenery. But when there's a fresh puddle of blood amidst foot traffic? Only two people in the span of an hour took interest in that, and neither one was the police officer?
Yeah I don't think I'll be going back. Too many tweakers.
The officer did later say he would send someone to find the guy. Presumably even if the man is homeless they should give him medical attention.
