23 October 2014

More Excitement Than We Expected, Today

From the Alaska Dispatch News, and found here

Today's partial eclipse, a sixty-percenter locally, was apparently quite exciting if you're into watching the skies.

I was a bit preoccupied at its maximum occultation (is that the right word?) with keeping an eye on the high-as-a-kite dude who wandered into the building. He was busily throwing all the contents of his pockets and backpack on the floor, around the mezzanine, and onto tables where the lunchtime crowd was trying equally hard to mind their own business. It appeared at times that he could barely remain erect.

Then he proceeded downstairs, to empty all the trash cans in the men's room, stuff paper into the urinals, and rub his face on the walls ... or stumble around bumping into them. Depends on which witness you ask, and he might well have done both.

He never became violent per se, nor loud, so three of us kept him under surveillance until the police showed up to apply the Bracelets O' Correction and take him to a happier place (for us, at least).

Never a dull moment.

The sad part was watching a guy who has his whole life ahead of him, and presumably some talent, being reduced to an object of derision by some alleged substance that was robbing him of his humanity.

It's so sad ... and such a waste.

7 comments:

Cathy said...

That is truly tragic. And frightening to witness. It must have been a really serious drug to create that kind of bizarre behavior.
(We actually got pixes of the partial eclipse while projecting the image through binoculars onto a white cardboard box.)

Rev. Paul said...

Cathy, the most frightening thing was the potential for violence: we simply didn't know if he'd flip out, or remain quiet.

Ed Bonderenka said...

Was he a lunatic?

Rev. Paul said...

No, Ed, just a disturbed young man on something strong.

ProudHillbilly said...

We have a few that wander into local businesses. At which point a text goes out and a nice young officer appears and manuvers the subject out.

Chickenmom said...

Sad. I hope he can get the help he so desperately needs. Glad no one was hurt.

Rev. Paul said...

PH, this being Anchorage, it took 20 minutes, but two officers showed up. They made him clean up his mess, and then took him away.

Chickenmom, agreed.