Deadly Serious

A quick post before I must go to bed, bleary-eyed from 3 hours of solid, non-distracted marking.

Today, Anja and I were going up the stairs to the doctor's office when a man coming down the stairs with his 10-year-old-daughter answered the phone.  The conversation was something about a messed-up health-card application and went like this, verbatim, in a deadly, deadly serious voice:

"You fucked up the health card application.  Why?  Because you are a fucking idiot.  And when you get you get your ass home, I'm going to take care of you."

The daughter was scrambling, embarrassed, afraid. 

I didn't know what to do, but the nothing I did do is inexusable. I've been thinking about it all night;  what I should have done is asked that girl is she was afraid and wanted to go back into the doctor's office with me - would that have made her situation worse?  What I should have done is watch him get into his car, get the license plate, and call the police.  Or ask the doctor's receptionist who he was, explain the situation and call the police.  At the time, I was stunned, as was another passerby in the hallway.  I think I was so stunned because it is so far removed from the reality I deal with everyday.  I can complain all I want about Kirk, but I don't live in fear and violence - not even close. 

Meanwhile, somewhere in our genteel city tonight, some mother and her children are getting beaten or worse.  Fuck.