I doubt there will be a next time, unless I have somebody who already is well-versed in the escape there to teach me (and who stays there the whole time for safety's sake).
There are a lot of things in life that are embarassing. I'm sure everybody here has done something unbelievably stupid. This is my story of that event.
I knew it would entertain some, and I also knew that it might serve as a fair warning for others. I'll admit in retrospect, it's darn funny. Stand-up comedy material possibly. In fact I'lle ven go so far as to say I'm glad some of you were entertained. There's no sense in passing up a good opportunity to laugh, especially when all ended well. It's good for you - promotes good health.
I'm not thrilled about the response of my neighbors, or that of the HOA. However, it did reinforce one thing. For the most part my friends, we're on our own. The average person out there doesn't care if you live or die. They think they do. They might even say when asked that they're a loving, compassionate person, always willing to help. However, actions speak much louder than words. Look at the Catherine "Kitty" Genovese murder of 1964 if you want a high-profile example.
I see plenty of posts on gun-related forums about how if they were witnessing a murder, and were armed, they'd just walk away because of fear of the legal ramifications.
That may have been what happened. Unfortunately where I live, I have a bad feeling a fair number of the residents are "off the grid" so to speak. "Please somebody call the police" to them could have for all I know provoked thoughts of, "The police? I don't need them asking questions to me, so I'm not calling." Even my next-door neighbor on the other side, who speaks no english, gave me a sheepish look yesterday morning when I saw him and was fixing the door. He walked out of his apartment, had been there all night. He knew what had happened. He heard me. He just didn't call.
Who did call you ask? A school-teacher. Somebody who has already dedicated their life to helping others despite terrible pay and terrible conditions. That says something to me. Police officers are of the same breed in my opinion. They have decided to make their life's work (or at least a part of it) making society better. Helping others. Sure some aren't of that breed and don't belong.... but I can say that the officers who responded, while they may very well (and with sufficient circumstances) label me a kook, they helped me. They set aside their thoughts of, "Wow, this guy must be a Darwin candidate or something." - and did something to help me out. I can't complain. I have a feeling they contacted the HOA today, and that may have something to do with me getting the boot - but that's their job ultimately. They don't know me well enough to know that I'm a good guy who is usually very smart, who just had a total bonehead moment (as do we all at some point). Mine involved cuffs.... fortunately it was harm free in the end. Many others' might involve power-tools, cars, etc... and unfortunately they might not be so lucky as me to walk away unharmed permanently. My arm hurts like hell, it will heal. My pride is broken. Time will mend it. I am thoroughly humiliated, and how the heck I'm going to eventually explain this to my father (as I'm 100% honest about my life with my parents) - I haven't a clue. However, he's my father, I know he'll back me up, even if he has a moment of wondering, "Did those genes come from my side or his mother's?" Having watched them for half of their lives, I can confidently say - both.
However, getting back. I could take the standpoint of, "The world isn't going to help me, so why should I help them?" - but that's not who I am. I have a ham radio license, not just because it's fun, but because in a time of emergency, I'm more than happy to go around the neighborhood and tell people, "If you have an emergency during this, I may have the last line of communication available if all else are down." I am going to take EMT classes in a few months (as I'll have a few month vacation before the "hard stuff" begins) - and that's not for me. It's for my family, for my neighbors, and for the average Joe who might need it. I've witnessed 3 deaths in person in my life. 2 of which I couldn't do anything about in time. The third I could, but didn't know how. I'll be spending hard earned money to make sure that doesn't happen again.
We here on THR should always take the high road in life. Society breaks down when we just think of ourselves and nobody else. It's funny that being stuck in cuffs for 6 hours reinforced that in my mind after a day of shame.... but it's the truth. We can own all the guns in the world, but at the end of the day, our survival is for better or for worse: intertwined into the lives of others, as is theirs.
Whether it's for somebody who does the most unimaginably dumb thing in the world like I did, or its for a guy on the street who falls down from a heart attack, the more helpful we can all be, the better our society will be.
Maybe I'm rambling... maybe I'm making at least 1% worth of sense. I don't know. I've had this hodgepodge of ideas pop into my head today about this as I've spent the last 24 hours wondering, "Why did nobody want to help? Why did nobody call the police for 6 hours? I know they couldn't hear me for probably the first 3. Totally understandable. However, after that with all the people I managed to get the attention of, the fact that none of them did anything - is scary. That needs to change. I say it starts with us, if it hasn't already.
I may never need the help of an emergency responder like the police again. I pray that is the case. However, I know there will be plenty of others who need help, and I can only hope there is somebody who cares there for them. I know if it is me there, I will be. Legal issues aside, an emergency is an emergency. I'm not a very religious man, but I do have some level of feeling inside that in the long-run, we will be rewarded for doing the right thing.
*ramble off*
