Cops....
Waiting for that call which never came, I slept off only to have my sleep broken in the middle of the night. At 2 in the morning, I was lying there in my bed just about to break into sweat but the beads efficiently kept from developing by the fans in the room. The ceiling fan, like a sage was toiling without much ado but the smaller table fan still had to learn, making a noise more than it worked in order to drown the work of the other. And then suddenly the table fan lost the battle and died, it was only after a few moments that I realised that even the ceiling fan had stopped working, electricity had gone. However, the streetlight shining into through my room's window had a different story to tell, someone had purposefully turned off the lights of my home. Still contemplating lying in my bed, I heard her cough but I hoped it wasn't her. I knew it made sense, she was around and had turned off the lights, but I didn't want to believe it as I had little clue of what to do with her. I kept on lying on my bed, lying to myself, knowing that I will have to go and look through the window to see her and clear my doubts, but I rather chose to sleep off. My best efforts of drowning my senses didn't work and I finally stood up and went to the window, once and for all laying all my doubts to rest- It was her. My landlady had a psychiatric condition and having not taken her medication for a couple of days, she was having one of her episodes where she had wandered out of the house without a key for a couple of days.
Having lived with a psychiatrist in the making, I had some idea about how the medical system works over here in USA and thus, thought of calling the police. I dialed the three digit number for the first time in my life, a lady was on the other end and I went of saying it was a nonemergency call but I was interrupted in between. She asked me if I wanted police, ambulance or a fire brigade. After pondering for a moment I thought of trusting the medical world over everything else, "Ambulance", I said. Again I went on explaining my predicament, but the lady cut me in, asking for an address where the ambulance was wanted. I replied back, realising that like any other customer care experience, I was going through a set of automated choices that and that I had no option but to choose one of them, the human element present at this emergency number just to detect for your impending frustration and thus the efficiency of their system. Having learnt a bit, I waited for her to put up questions to which I gave answers and I was done in a couple of moments- or rather she was done. Another couple of moments and I saw the customary blue lights flashing in front of my house, enlightening the otherwise dark interiors.
I was out there in a flash and found the paramedic talking to her himself, she has approached herself. I walked up to him and found him in pretty much the same state I was in, confused about what to do and wanting to get away at the earliest. In a few words he explained it to me that he would be unable to help me, sinking my heart. Asking me to contact the police he gave me a hope which withered away when he explained what conditions were required for them to take her to a hospital and a make her get treatment. Having only experienced the Indian police, I immediately stereotyped the policemen here to be unfriendly and wanting in all earnest not to have any more than an advisory role. The paramedic understood my problem from my ashen face I guess, and offered to ride down a block to a cavalcade of police cars about a block down the road. He left and the next few moments were the longest in my life. I was standing outside my home with her, I was afraid that I had been left alone to take a righteous decision- talk to her and take her inside the home or stand out with her till the cops arrived- both of which were not very appetising.
My worries were over when I saw the cars riding towards me stop next to me and take over the scene.
What transpired next was a cautious approach to make her agree to be taken to the hospital. Still apprehensive that they would not believe me that the situation was grave enough and taking leaps and bounds reached up for my house-mate, waking her up from the middle of a sleep and informing her what was happening down there. I just couldn't let go my male ego even at this instant and refused to ask her to come down, leaving it on fate, which was somehow not on my side. She offered a 'K', and bahm, the door was closed leaving me standing there cursing myself. After some time the cops had to use a bit of a force for her own good. I was done for the night.
I turned back and with leaps and bounds crossed the flight of stairs and dived into the comfort of my room. The whole episode lasted less than an hour however, it will take me another life to finally come to terms to the fact that cops doing their job is not a 'heaven'.
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