Right Place, Right Time

Yesterday I decided to skip my normal long run after dropping Cole at school because I'm getting over a cold.  I walked along the waterfront and ran into Kenney and our ayi hanging out with a bunch of other little kids and ayis.  Kenney was playing with a little white girl about his age on the upper tier or the boardwalk.  The boardwalk has clear plexiglass protecting from the ledge to the level below. 

As the kids were playing I stood about 10 ft away with the little girls ayi.  All of the sudden the ayi shrieked and starting running toward the kids.  There was one section of plexiglass missing and the little girl fell through!  The drop to the lower level was about five feet onto concrete below.

I ran to help as the ayi scooped up the little girl in a panic.  A crowd was gathering - all poking at the little girl.  Her ayi was panicking saying "we've got to go to hospital!"  There was so much chaos that I felt I needed to take over.

I told the ayi to be still and stop moving the girl around so I could have a look.  She had a little blood under her nose and had obviously hit her nose and head. She was crying and alert so that was good.  I told the ayi the first thing she needed to do was call the little girl's parents before rushing her to some Chinese hospital.  She said ok and began to dial, but was basically hysterical. I told her I'd talk to the parents - hoping since she was white that they spoke English even if not their native language. As the phone rang the name "Dustin" came up so I was hopeful.

The father answered and I asked if it was Aurora's father. I explained what had happened and told him that I thought she was okay, but if he didn't mind I'd take her up to my apartment to put some ice on her head, do a quick assessment out of the chaos and call him back in 10 min.  He said yes please and I snapped a few photos to send to him.

We got up to the apartment and got her settled down.  The dad texted and said he'd be to my building in 10 minutes if someone would meet him.  I told the ayi I was going to get the dad and waited outside.  He showed up - they are Canadian - and we went up to my place. When we got there the ayi and little girl were gone!  I asked my maid and she pointed downstairs.  The dad was mad and called the ayi. She said she had called the police in a panic.  We hustled downstairs to try to find them.

They had gone back to the accident site.  The police and a large crowd were there.  I showed the dad the fall site as an older Chinese man walked up and said "I doctor" and proceeded to look at the girl.  He did a quick check and said "she ok".  The ayi was still very upset begging to take her to the hospital (apparently culturally the Chinese are quick to see a doctor for little things so she was sure it was necessary).  The dad said he'd take her to the international health clinic to get checked and thanked me. I told him that I didn't think the ayi had been neglegent - it was kind of a freak accident that the pane was missing. 

I got a message later in the day from him that the doctors think she is fine.  We believe she landed on her hands and front/ face - thankfully not the back of her head!  This morning I happened to run into the ayi and little girl on the street.  The girl looked more bruised, but ok.  The ayi hugged and thanked me for helping her.

I was glad that I followed that inspiration to be where I was and not in my normal routine.  No one else spoke English and I think it could have been much worse if no one was able to communicate.  In the end it was probably good that the police were called so that the glass will be replaced.  Right after it happened I took my eyes off Kenney to check on the girl and Kenney went to the same spot and someone grabbed him.  Crazy morning!