the triumverate and i saw something very sad today.
we were driving to school, and became aware that traffic was stalling in an area of town (kennedy town) along the waterfront where there are no traffic jams normally. i looked around and saw a police car and a firetruck. without thinking anything ominous, i called the kids attention to it. as always, they were riveted by the police car and immediately began thinking of scenarios. a fire, baddies captured, treasures found…all options briefly discussed then discarded.
and then.
i saw an ambulance.
and a big boat in the water, and a bigger boat beside it. and crowds lined up along the waterfront, looking into the water.
the kids looked too.
and saw a man being hoisted out of the water. face down. definitely dead.
immediately the questions started. why did he fall, how did he get there is he cold why isn't he crying where is his mummy, mummy?
and did i get creative.
"well you know how when we walk along the side of the pool how slippery it is and how the lifeguard always says dont run and sometimes you do and you don't know why he gets so upset with you? because it is easy to fall in! and when you're balancing it is easy to lose your balance and fall, like when you are losing your balance on a log at small world."
they were skeptical. why wasn't he moving? thank goodness the car was and they couldn't see the body anymore. "well, after swimming he is probably quite tired!"
there have been times in my life when i have been horrified. dismayed. looked to escape. today when i saw that body i wondered how far away from that despair i have known this person was. and if he tried to reach out, and could only find what he thought were answers in the cold water.
