Off Topic: I don't suffer from bystander apathy

Ok, so in my 12th grade AP Psych course, we did a module on bystander apathy -- aka the tedency of humans to ignore a fellow human's cries for help in an emergency situation, instead assuming someone else will call 911. But last night I proved that I am no apathetic bystander (although a bystander nonetheless).

At around 6 p.m. I was dutifully checking Facebook for the 172nd time that day when I heard my neighbor scream, "Chuck! Oh my God, someone call 911!" I look out my 3rd story window and all I can see is my neighbor bent over being attacked by something. At first I thought he was being attacked by a dog because my neighbor's wife and another neighbor were trying to pull whatever this was off of Chuck...and then I notice it's no dog but another one of our neighbors! And he's strangling Chuck!

The adrenaline is pumping as I call for my mom to come look and we call 911. Finally the wives are able to separate Chuck from this man (leave it to the wives to make peace) and next thing I know Chuck launches a right hook into the guy's face and then kicks him in the nose as he falls to the ground. There's blood in the street, on the men, all over their clothes...the second neighbor keeps trying to come back at Chuck and the wife is doing everything she can to get him to stop. First she kicked him where the sun don't shine (no effect), then she rammed her head into his stomach to try and push him (he pushed her back) and finally she attempted to use her body weight to push him up the stairs to their apartment. Meanwhile I'm watching all of this unfold from my bedroom window praying for the cops to arrive.

Fifteen minutes later (a person could be dead by then) and many a heavy heartbeat in tow (on my part, not the actual victims of the assault) the cops, a firetruck and an ambulance finally come roaring into our normally quiet neighborhood. And they stayed for more than 2 hours, talking to everyone, assessing the injuries and finally arresting the nameless neighbor (not Chuck, it turns out he wasn't the one who started the fight). After everything calmed down my mom and I went down to make sure Chuck was okay (which he was) and to let him know we called the cops.

What a night!

5 Responses to "Off Topic: I don't suffer from bystander apathy"

Tausha responded on May 24, 2008 at 10:19 AM #

Wow, that's crazy! Any idea why the fight started?

Anonymous responded on May 30, 2008 at 5:07 PM #

No clue actually! There's a rumor that the drunk man's wife had gone out for drinks with the other man and his friends and had come home plastered, but who knows?

Anonymous responded on June 2, 2008 at 3:31 PM #

Crazy people, crazy people....even crazier that it happened to be your very own next door neighbor! lol

Anonymous responded on November 7, 2009 at 11:50 AM #
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Anonymous responded on November 8, 2009 at 8:08 AM #
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