gimme more!

[brightbluegirl]

You know what's sad?

Walking down the street, seeing one homeless person pouring listerine into another homeless person's cup. "Aw c'mon man, gimme more!"

That makes me sad.

---

Yesterday afternoon, as I was feeding Tomas, I heard shouting directly outside our house. I peeked through the front window just in time to see a young man leap on a young woman, throttling her, and grabbing something from her.

My cell phone was in the other room, and I didn't want to leave and have something worse happen to her, or... I don't know. I didn't think clearly.

So what did bright old me do? I pulled open the door, baby on my hip, and said "Do I need to call the police? Are you ok?"

The MAN answered me. Can you believe it? He said "no, my girlfriend's just mad at me" or something like that. And I said to the woman "No, do YOU need a safe place? I just saw him commit violence against you, do you need help? You can come in here right now if you need help."

The couple kept arguing, and every time I said that it wasn't right for him to hit her, she looked at him as if to say "see??" and he kept saying to me "but she hits me! and that's ok??" and I'd say "it's not ok for anyone to hit anyone" and there were clothes strewn about (from plastic bags), and it was just ODD.

Then a man came over from across the street, and it turns out he'd met them a few nights ago as they went through the same thing. I guess when he met them, and tried to stop the violence, she said she was going to move out... and yet here she still was. Yesterday, she said she was moving out today. I haven't seen them, so what do I know?

Anyway, I did not call the police, he stomped inside his house and then she stomped inside after him, and then came the sounds of very loud arguing from inside the house.

The very very best part?

They are our new next door neighbours.

Comments

[rennmaus.livejournal.com]

Oh no!
It's great that you offered to help but you have to be careful that the guy won't hit you next time - please please be careful...
I also have to learn that I can not help anyone - it's often hard cause I have this big sense of justice but we have to watch out that we do not have to pay for that later....

[freakykitten.livejournal.com]

Thank you for being worried for me! But I was in no danger - Chloe was right beside me, and she looks scary (even when she just wants to be petted), and I stood at my door, which has many steps up to it - he could not have gotten to me before I would have closed and locked my door (if I had too).

Afterwards I became worried that he will try to do something when I am not ready for it (like, some day when I am on the street with the baby), but I have a black belt in karate (I got it when I was 18, did I ever tell you that?) and I can and will defend myself if necessary...

[rennmaus.livejournal.com]

You have a black belt in Karata - wow that is sooo cool. You can be so proud of that and you can feel so much more secure. That is great to know!!!!!

[ama-bear.livejournal.com]

Sweet, you have a daily Jerry Springer show next door. That is AWESOME.
Next time you hear them call in a "noise" complaint. Not sure how the police are in Van but here they will at least send two officers to check it out. Nothing they can do though if the woman wont stand up and press charges or make a formal complaint. UNfortunately neighbours complaining isn't enough basis to try and save a battered womans life. Stupid laws.... I have so much more to say, but it wont change the way our society treats jerks like that and women like that. I hate the whole "Don't ask don't tell" mentality. Good for you for speaking up...from a safe distance.

[big-paul.livejournal.com]

There goes the neighborhood...

[zaftigvegan.livejournal.com]

i shudder to think how much violence is happening behind closed doors around me. i know that the times that stuff like that happened to spill out of my childhood home were only the tip of the iceberg as far as what was going on where no one could see or hear it.

i also wish it were just as simple as packing up and leaving for women in those situations, but it's usually much much more complicated than that.

it's hard to see humanity's cruel junk hang out like that.

*love*

[freakykitten.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's never as simple as just getting up and leaving, I know. I do hope they figure it out - the relationship doesn't seem good for either of them.

*love back*

[newlifeinstpaul.livejournal.com]

Bullies are almost always by definition cowards.
He'd only hit a woman when he's sure there are no repercussions.

I'm not encouraging you to scream at him like Billy Martin at an umpire...but if you did? He'd probably take it.

Unfortunately, she's probably not ready to leave him yet. She still thinks he's 'worth it' in some way or another or thinks that he'll somehow 'change' for the better. Or wonders what she'd do without a 'him' in her life. But no one can change her point of view except her.

It's truly sad.

[freakykitten.livejournal.com]

There's no way I'd scream at him like Billy Martin at an umpire - that just lends itself to the problem, I think. Throughout the whole thing I didn't raise my voice, I was firm but calm, and that's more likely to get through to him than anything.

Part of what was going on there was a power struggle on both sides. I definitely saw that she was goading him and he was reacting. Both were quite young, and that relationship is BAD for them. I haven't seen either of them since - I hope they're learning something.

[newlifeinstpaul.livejournal.com]

I'm not SAYIN I'm just sayin.

You know, after 14 years in hell, it's still really weird to be in a relationship that's not only good for me, not only good for her but very, very healthy. I think the biggest reason her folks 'approve' of us is that they've seen us interact with each other.