This is what's wrong with our fucking society.

Last night Rachel and I went to see Florence and the Machine at Leeds Uni's summer ball (there will be a seperate post for that because she was too perfect to be included in this). It was held at Lotherton Hall, which is this beautiful place in the middle of the countryside. To get to it you have to go down all these windy roads; its kind of intense for a driver (which I'm not). Anyway, when we left it was about 3:15am, pitch black, silent. We were driving along and after a couple of minutes, Rachel suddenly said 'is that a body in the road?' We pulled over and I ran back to check, but saw nothing, so we drove on. We were still alarmed however, so turned the car around and went back. Sure enough, there was a young lad lying unconscious in the road. My first reaction was 'he's drunk and passed out' but then I saw the blood around his mouth, head and hands. I'm writing this in such honest terms because I want people to know about this. I checked his pulse and shouted to wake him up - when he opened his eyes I got his name and Rach called an ambulance. There was a lot of blood around his head. Now, I know pretty much how to take care of someone hurt; my dad has had experience with it and taught me, just in case. But mostly I think its instinct. You don't know how you're going to react in a situation like that at all. And when some poor lad starts vomiting what looks exactly like blood and guts all over you, I think you really discover the person that you are. When you stay and look after them and put your favourite jacket under their head, or when you can explain calmly to an ambulance driver what's going on, even though you're panicking like mad - it's very revealing.

The young lad is called James and he's fine. I called the hospital this morning and he got checked over, then went home. And he was so grateful, that's what makes this so sad. He shouldn't have to be grateful; he was lying, bleeding, at the side of the fucking road. A person should be able to expect to be helped. And he wasn't still lying there because we were the first to find him. No. While we were turning the car around to go back, two other vehicles went past. For Christ's sake, when we sat with him with the car headlamps pointing right at us, a van went past and didn't even slow down. THAT is what I want to write about. What the fuck is wrong with people? I know the idea of looking after someone like that is terrifying, I mean, what if you do something wrong? But what if you don't do anything at all? How could you live with yourself knowing, pure knowing, that you've completely ignored someone who so obviously needs help.

This has really made me furious. That lad is at home now, albeit no doubt with a monstrous headache, because me and Rachel stopped. Judging by the other bastards who drove right past, he wasn't getting help from anyone else. He could've passed out and never woken up. He could've choked on his own vomit. He was lying with his head in the road - he could have been run over. And for that matter, where was the car that hit him originally? Hit and runners should be tried like murderers.

Not only am I angry, but I'm upset too. What if that was somone in my family lying there? Or a friend? Or you, or me? Wouldn't you like to believe that someone would stop and take care of you? I certainly would. Sometimes all you need is someone to hold your hand and make jokes and keep you awake. We can all do that.

So if, God forbid, you ever see anyone who might need help, please please please go for it. Even if it turns out they are drunk and are having a rest, at least you'll know. At least you'll be able to sleep at night.