First, a booksigning announcement: I will be at the Barnes & Noble in Tyler, Texas tomorrow, signing RUMBLE from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. If you're anywhere near there, please come out and visit me!
So those of you who read regularly probably saw my blog earlier this week thanking medical personel for the job they do after witness a "brought back to life" moment in a local restaurant last Saturday morning. (scroll down if you didn't read the other story, because it's kind of relevant here).
So when the guy fell out on the floor, the doctor rushed over immediately, checked vitals and started performing CPR. He got a pulse quickly, but it was apparent the guy was still unresponsive. That's when I glanced at other tables and realized that everyone was frozen in this weird state. They were clutching coffee cups, or forks (some even with food on them) but not moving. And everyone was looking at each other and it was apparent what they were thinking "Do we continue eating, is that rude, do we wait until he sits up, until the paramedics get here?????"
Then my husband looks over at me and asks "is this like sports and we clap when he gets up - I mean, what's the rule here?"
Hell if I know.
So I'm putting you to work on a Friday. What do you think the etiquette is in a situation like this? And I need you to cover eating all the way to clapping.
See ya Monday!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Musings of a Louisiana Liar
Everyone knows what "they" say about opinions, but we all have one anyway so why not publish it - right? Welcome to my somewhat limited and sarcastic view of the world.
Coming October 30, 2007
UNLUCKY
My debut!
RT Book Reviews TOP PICK!
3 comments:
I don't recall ever reading about a situation like this in Emily Post but - here's what I THINK I'd do. ('Cause you never really know until you're in a situation and I've never been in one like that.)
I'd definitely stop eating. How anyone could sit there, continue eating breakfast and carry on a conversation, I can't imagine. And I'd absolutely clap when the man who saved a life stood up. Yes, I would! Save a life? I think a round of applause is certainly in order!
Do the kindest thing in the kindest way. Always. Think of the other person. How would YOU feel if it were your husband, parent, child, or friend lying there, maybe dying, and nobody cared? Nobody even noticed?
I saw an "art film" once when I was a student at UT years ago. May have been an Igmar Bergman. Started out in a railway car. A child was kicking the door. The door came open and the child fell onto the tracks. Everyone was upset, except one woman who did not seem to notice. The camera stayed on her face for about 10 seconds, then went to her arm, where we saw the tattoo. We knew she had survived a death camp. Then we understood that she had seen too many horrors to notice them anymore.
I've been at many sporting events where people stand up and applaud when the injured person is helped off the field. It's not exactly the same thing but I'm thinking I'd applaud. Also my writer's curiosity would probably want to follow up with both the doctor and the victim afterward and if I couldn't, my imagination would go wild with scenarios.
Post a Comment