 A Story to Remember Sometimes, it seems to me, life feels mean. Internet bullying, the increasing celebration of “negative heroes,” the media spotlights on cruelty, pain, and devastation, all of it sometimes feels like a hammer pounding me down, down, down until I need to cocoon myself in my home with my books, cats, and quiet, peaceful serenity. I read. I cook something. I talk with family or friends. It's a necessary bandage to cover the wounds that, while not directed at me, can feel painful. I lose a little bit more of my faith in people. Then something happens to make me believe again. Like this. The Santa Ynez mountains that lie between Santa Barbara and the inland valley are traversed daily by hundreds of residents, tourists, and commercial traffic. On the inland side is the lovely Cold Spring Arch Bridge. It has, unfortunately, been the scene of suicides both successful and unsuccessful since it was built in 1963. On the afternoon of July 30, reports began coming in to the local website Edhat about a person walking on the bridge possibly contemplating suicide. The California Highway Patrol was called. But it would have been too late had not one woman (with assistance from an out-of-town couple) taken action. Her story was reported, and stunned, touching, grateful, and heartfelt comments began to flood in. It ultimately garnered almost eighty of them, an astonishing number. The most painful and touching to read were posted by the woman herself: Thank you all for the support - I do appreciate it. And yes I do have nightmares - all I can see is that woman’s face & her eyes. She was begging me to let her die......How do you fight for someone’s life who doesn’t want it? I still don’t know how I did it - I just did. All the possible outcomes rush into my head, a hundred things could have gone wrong - but they didn’t. I know stopping in the middle of the bridge is a Huge hazard, but the other option was unthinkable. I am a 35 year old mother of two - let that be a lesson to people who think that they cannot make a difference. When you are tested - you are stronger than you think. I just hope that the woman, whom I ultimately recognized from my son’s school, gets the help she needs for her & her child’s sake. I have not slept well in days.....but I see some very long beach walks in my future. It makes me sick to think that this was not news worthy unless the jumper was successful! I . . . was told that I should have pulled over and called 911. What a joke - she would be dead, being that she was already climbing over when I first saw her. Don’t be the one who drives by.......be the one who acts. Thanks for the words of wisdom and support. I cannot give any more details today, this is emotionally draining. To my kids, I am just Mom......and alas it’s summertime. Need to get them outside do some swimming. Life must go on........ I have a hard time believing that anyone who lives around here didn’t know what was going on........it’s a suicide bridge. Someone actually yelled “idiots” to me and the sweet man from Virginia as we were trying to walk her off the bridge. Just soooo mad at human nature. I was the last one in a line of 10 or 15 cars to drive on the bridge, when no one was stopping I knew what i had to do. I held her over the edge for minutes, but she was fighting and telling me she was already dead. It seemed like an eternity........I never looked down, only into her eyes. Yes, a hundred things could have gone wrong, but they didn’t. If I had stopped to think about the railing, the height, etc., we would be discussing another jumper who succeeded. If I had driven past, I would have seen her jump in my rear view mirror and if I didn’t try that would be forever on mind. I really felt that I had NO choice, other than to act - there wasn’t time. I know that I am a strong woman and like I said before the other option was unthinkable. I have only since had time to worry about leaving my children motherless......but they are proud! Thanks again to ALL of you for your support & kindness. I had wanted to reach out - to see if that still existed among the general public. As I did not feel it when it mattered. Restoring my faith in human beings, slowly...... This past Thursday Edhat followed up the story with an interview with her, and it is nothing short of inspiring. Read it. Then go forth and, as she requested, “Don’t be the one who drives by.......be the one who acts.” Upcoming Book Festivals and Fairs: Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas The Pub House:
Todd Bol and Rick Brooks are the two Wisconsin entrepreneurs behind the project. The first one they built was designed to look like an old-fashioned schoolhouse. But the best part is that many others are following in their footsteps. You can too by sponsoring a library, building a library, or arranging to have one built. (You can also build one yourself.) Imaging Books & Reading: Of Interest: Second, Help Ex-Borders Employees is a new blog set up specifically to assist those who have lost their jobs at the former store. But more are there so please check it out if you are seeking work. And if you have any jobs information to pass along to the ex-employees, please do so by contacting Chris Kubica at one of the two e-mail addresses under the “About” section in the upper left corner of the page. Third, Bo’s Café Life, a cartoon in a blog about writers’ lives, has announced Bo’s Café Life Fiction Contest. Submit a story (of up to 1,000 words) inspired by café life. There is no entry fee. The prize is twofold: a copy of Bo’s Café Life collection, "I’m Not Out of Work! I’m a Writer!! and publication in The Storyteller magazine. Your entry must be original and unpublished nor must it have been accepted elsewhere. The deadline is August 31. E-mail your story (pasted into the body of the e-mail) to boscafelife [at] gmail.com and put “Story Contest” in the subject line. Until next week, read well, read often and read on!
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