I did a good thing

[sabotabby]

GATHER ROUND CHILDREN and allow me to regale you with my tale of dubious Good Samaritanism.

I'm walking home after a long day at work, laden with my purse, backpack, full grocery bag, and a big package of toilet paper tucked under my arm, when a girl dashes past me at approximately the speed of Barry Allen. As she flees, something drops out of her pocket.

I attempt to chase after her, but see aforementioned carrying-my-own-body-weight-in-groceries. I'm not much of a runner to begin with, and far less so when I'm hauling bags. I yell, "hey you dropped something," to no avail. So I turn back. A young man close by has picked it up and is staring at it.

"It's a prescription," he says.

"Shit," I say.

"Uh. It's methadone."

"Holy shit," I say.

"Holy shit," he agrees. I look at it. It's methadone. Like, a *lot* of methadone.

What *does* one do in this situation? We can't find the girl, and her number isn't on the prescription. The pharmacy is down on Queen St., which is a long way to go with something that cops are unlikely to believe you found on the street and are trying to return. Also, neither of us are massively respectable in appearance. The guy suggests throwing it out, but I'm like, someone needs that, and your average doctor or pharmacist is not going to believe that the kid dropped it and needs a new prescription. Plus there are lots of people around who I'm sure are contemplating fishing it out of the trash and either using it themselves or selling it.

Finally a woman suggests turning it into a pharmacy a block away, so I do that. I explain the situation to the pharmacist, who at first looks at me funny, then promises to call the other pharmacy, and hopefully they have the girl's records on file.

(But, I think, what if she doesn't have a phone, or address?)

Still, I feel a little better that it may be on its way back to its rightful owner, and head home. When I spot the girl in an alley across the street, smoking a cigarette and having a panic attack. I wave my arms wildly and yell out to get her attention, and this time, thank fuck she hears me. I dash across the street and explain what happened and what I did with it. Then I took her to the pharmacy (in case the pharmacist didn't believe it was her), and she got her drugs back. And thanked me profusely. I made sure she was okay and calm and then I finally went home.

Whatever else I've fucked up lately, at least I did that.

Comments

[mightydoll.livejournal.com]

My car was broken into a couple years ago and among things stolen was a bag with my newly refilled prescription.

My prescriptions have no street value, and I explained that to police when we made the report.

I guess the thief realized it themselves pretty quickly, because a neighbour found my pills in his yard. He called the pharmacy, they called me, and I walked over to pick them up.

[sabotabby]

Thief with a heart of gold? Kind of?

[princealberic.livejournal.com]

I hope she's ok, wherever she is, and that was really nice of you. I wish there more of you in this world.

[sabotabby]

She was okay when I left her. Like I made sure she wasn't still having a panic attack.

And thanks. I don't even consider it a nice thing, just needing to make sure a horrible thing didn't happen.

[rdi.livejournal.com]

You totally did an awesome thing. Two awesome things even.

[sabotabby]

What's the other awesome thing?

[rdi.livejournal.com]

I think turning the scrip into a pharmacy is one awesome thing, and actually taking the girl there when you found her again is a second one.

[sabotabby]

Ah, okay, I was counting that as one thing. :)

[resonant.livejournal.com]

yay you!

[sabotabby]

:D

[coconuthead.livejournal.com]

You went to a lot of work to take care of her. Nicely done.

[sabotabby]

It wasn't really that much. Especially versus the consequences if I hadn't done anything.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Maybe not to you, but a lot of people wouldn't have gone to even that much trouble for a stranger.

[sabotabby]

I guess not? I perhaps have an overactive conscience, or an overfamiliarity with what withdrawal from opiates is like.

[ironed_orchid]

You're awesome and should feel awesome.

[sabotabby]

Actual picture of me.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

And that is fucking awesome. *hugs you proudly*

[sabotabby]

Thanks!

[khalinche.livejournal.com]

Good for you, dude.

[sabotabby]

:D Thanks.

[stormdog.livejournal.com]

That's so awesome of you; thank you for making an effort!

[sabotabby]

It would have honestly been far more effort not to do anything.

[dancingdragon3.livejournal.com]

That is so wonderful that you did that! I'm sure she'll remember and be grateful for that for a long time. You're awesome, cheers! And also awesome for not judging her.

HUGS

[sabotabby]

Eh, I'm hardly in any position to judge anyone.

[middlemarching.livejournal.com]

You are an amazingly good person. I know that girl is very grateful to you for stepping in to help her.

[sabotabby]

She seemed quite grateful, yeah.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

That's a great thing. :-) *hugs*

[sabotabby]

Thanks. :)

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

That was an awesome thing to do. Brownie points in full!

[sabotabby]

Thanks!