Saturday, June 21, 2008

Calling 911

At about 11:20 tonight I heard the neighbors fighting. There were several loud crashes, like someone being shoved into a wall or something breaking against the wall. Or slamming doors. My whole was apartment jarred by it. It sounded like a man and a woman fighting. I couldn't distinguish words. At the end of this episode I heard a woman's voice shout loudly "Help!" I debated a few seconds and decided to call 911. I wasn't about to go down the hall toward what might be a violent fight in my nightgown. But I didn't want to cause extra work for the police if this was nothing. The police arrived in about 5 minutes and they went to the apartment I had indicated and found only 2 men there. Hm. They knocked on my door to get clarification and to tell me they had found nothing next door. They said they would check out the apartments below me and above me and I haven't heard from them since. Either they found nothing or they found something and took care of it.

I know I didn't imagine or misunderstand the word "Help!" There has been no further disturbance. I hope those people the police questioned don't hold a grudge against me. Everytime I hear a loud noise I get a scared feeling in my stomach. I was going to say it brings me back to my childhood except that as much as mom and dad fought they never got physically violent. So what's my problem? What is the chance that whoever it is would want to get revenge on me?

Anytime a woman asks for help she should get it . Actually, anytime anyone of either gender calls for help they should get it. Did I do the right thing? Or did I stick my nose into something that is none of my business?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. That sounds like a very frightening experience. I think you did the right thing though - especially if you heard a cry for help. As you said, everyone deserves to be helped when calling for it. I hope the police were able to find the disturbance and help anyone that needed it.

Lilim said...

Definitely did the right thing, there, Maddy. I'm proud of you! Too many people would have just cranked up the volume on their TV and ignored it.

Daye said...

you totally did the right thing. I am proud.