The Good Samaritan

Couple of weeks ago, I Googled for the symptoms of depression and found the below

- Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
- Becoming withdrawn or isolated
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss
- Fatigue and lack of energy
- Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
- Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and guilt
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Trouble sleeping or too much sleeping

And I ve had all the above symptoms in the recent past and the very thought of being depressed was even more depressing.

Guess the first step towards changing something is acknowledging that there is an issue in hand. And once you have accepted that, you are more prepared to work on it. Undoubtedly the biggest damage inflicting characteristic of depression is becoming withdrawn/isolated and feeling worthless/hopeless. And so I thought let’s address the very basic issue in hand. And hence arose The Good Samaritan in me.

But life makes some cruel jokes out of good people and here are a couple of such incidents.

I had just parked my vehicle and was walking towards the restaurant, when I saw this elderly person in his car trying to park his car in front of this gate. I felt old age must have made this person irrational. Once the car was parked, as this guy stepped out I casually walked up to him and in a very polite voice said “I don’t think you should park your car in front of the gate. What if that person needs to get his car out?”

I was aghast when I heard his reply. Without sounding least apologetic about his uncivil behavior, he replied “I don’t think they will have a problem”

I gave him that “do you know what you are speaking” kinds of look to which he responded by holding me around his arm and patting me gently and saying “This is my house.”

So much for being nice!!!

On a different occasion, I was stepping out this ATM and it was kind of late that nite. As I was stepping out there was this lady who was fanatically making calls on her mobile and looked disturbed. A quick glance at the area around her and I figured out her reason for anxiety. For a moment I had second thoughts if I should really offer her help as I was not sure how she would foresee my gesture and worse still whether it was a trap being laid for someone vulnerable stepping out of the ATM after withdrawing money.

But then I didn't care as I had gone to the ATM to jus’ drop a cheque and was hardly carrying any cash and had nothing valuable with me and as if I cared a lot for my life. I cleared my throat and gathered the courage and walked up to her and asked if I could be of her help. For a moment she was taken by surprise and took her a couple of seconds for the situation to sink in. She was excited. And while she narrated her episode in length, I was lost. No doubt some women speak a lot.

It took me well over 30 mins to replace the flat tyre. And jus’ as I was done and got up on my toes, she opened the car door and pulled out her bag and started digging frantically into it. Knowing what the next scene is going to be and trying to avoid the embarrassment I said “You don’t have to pay me, I didn't do this for money.” She laughed. And yes that was embarrassing. She said “No!!! I had few wet tissues in the bag, I was trying to get that for you” as she glanced towards my soiled hands.

I guess that was me jus’ being me. Dumb!!!!