guilty as hell!

We went to Wendy’s for dinner last night and as we were eating, I noticed an old man who had just bought a coffee.

Faye : Look at the old man… he’s just having coffee. I wonder if he has some money to buy food.
IFC : Some old people are just like that like Tito Bading who enjoys drinking coffee in the afternoon.

Suddenly, the old man approached us…

OM : Do you know the way to Bridgeport?
IFC : Bridgeport, NY?
OM : Bridgeport, Connecticut (CT).

In my mind, I was already thinking of CT before the old man even said it. And since we don't know the way, all we could say was “no”. Then, he started asking other people but no one seems to be of help to him.

Faye : Why don’t we ask him if there’s anyone he’d like to call and we can let him use our phone?
IFC : Do you want to call someone? You can use our phone if you want?
OM : No. I just missed a road that’s why I got here.
IFC : Maybe there’s a map that you can buy at the gasoline station (which happened to be just beside Wendy’s).

And so the old man left and walked towards the gas station. Poor old man! He was walking back and forth asking different people for help but no one did. We decided to talk to him thinking maybe we can help. I was talking to Kuya Chu (on the phone) asking for the directions when we saw the old man walking the other way so we followed him. IFC was yelling at him but he didn’t seem to have heard it. He was also trying to cross but he can’t. That was the time I suspected that maybe he has dementia. I waved at him to come closer when he turned.

Faye : Do you have any children that we can call? Or a relative perhaps?
OM : No. no.
Faye : Where have you been? Where did you come from?
OM : Hungary.
Faye : No. I mean where were you supposed to go?
OM : I’m supposed to go to this garbage place in Hartford but I missed the road.
IFC : But you’re in NY!
Faye : Are you driving?
OM : Yes.
Faye : Are you sure?
OM : Yes. I have the key right here (showing the keys to us). I’ve been here in the United States for 36 years.
Faye : Where did you park your car?
OM : Somewhere here…
Faye : But this is not where we saw you earlier?
OM : Oh I forgot.
Faye : Come on… let us take you to where we saw you.

As we were walking back to Wendy’s,

OM : I just missed the road.
Faye : Do you want us to call the police for you?
OM : No. I’m fine. You’re so kind.

Then, I gave him the directions that Kuya Chu gave earlier and as we reached the parking lot at Wendy’s,

Faye : Is that your car?
OM : Yes that’s my car.

I checked the plate which shows CT. His car didn’t look really old. His windows were down. He also looked neat… with his hair polished and his polo tucked in.

IFC : Are you sure you can still drive? It’s getting dark?
OM : I’m fine. Thank you.
Faye : I don’t want to leave you like this. Are you sure you're going to be ok?
OM : Yes. Thank you. You’re so kind.
Faye : Drive safe ok?
OM : Yes (with a smile on his face).

Then, I saw a police car coming. I tried waving at them but I don't think they saw me until it was too late... the old man started pulling out of the parking. And we just looked at his car until it’s no longer in sight.

Upon reaching home, I felt so disturbed. I felt like crying. I felt like blaming myself for allowing him to do what he wanted to do. I felt so stupid for letting him go. I felt so stupid that I don’t even know how to call a police (I can’t call 911. It’s not an emergency. I just learned later on that the hotline # for the police is 311). I felt so guilty… in fact up to now I feel that way… thinking if he had made it or not. I kept asking myself “what if something happened to him?” I was right there but didn’t do anything. I was just like those people who were not of any help to him.

IFC said “Let’s just hope for the best. He seemed like he knows how to drive because he tried avoiding the car which honked at him.”

All I can do now is to keep on praying for him… wishing that he is safe. I hope he’s alright. I really do.

As for us, this was definitely a lesson learned…