Deeply Disturbed

Last Saturday evening, while strolling down Commercial Street in Provincetown, MA, enjoying my double-scoop chocolate ice cream cone and minding my own business, I came across a situation that left me deeply disturbed.  As I walked toward the west end of town, I saw, out of the corner of my eye, an elderly woman lying in the street across from me.  She, too, had been eating ice cream and had somehow fallen into the street.  I didn't see her fall, I only saw her lying there.  Oddly, it took a couple of seconds for it to sink in before I ran across the street to offer my assistance.  As I lifted her out of the street, I couldn't help but notice that it was as if she were invisible - of all the people in the streets and working in the shops, etc., no one else even noticed she had fallen and no one else came to help.  Even more disturbing were the 2 guys that yelled, "I've fallen and I can't get up" and giggled as they rode past on bicycles.  The woman was horribly embarrassed and expressed her gratitude over and over again, and even though she limped off, she insisted she was fine.  

This incident left me deeply disturbed.  I'm not sure exactly why.  Was it because no one else seemed to notice or care?  Was I shocked that someone could find such sick humor in another's misfortune?  Was it perhaps because I was painfully aware, at that moment, of my own aging process (having turned 49 recently and having had a very difficult time with it) and how I would hope, if I were lying in the street, that someone would come to my rescue and not make fun of me?  It was likely because of all of these things and the notion that having vacationed in P-town for over 10 years, I've found it to be a magical place.  It's not a microcosm of society at large.  Culturally, it's different - tolerant, expressive, non-discriminating.  Provincetown is not just about being gay, it's about being yourself - whoever that may be.  Maybe I'm living in the land of make-believe, but I simply didn't expect this type of behavior there.