Below are three accounts of rescue that should give us pause.
Story 1
Courtesy of google.com
A parrot has been sitting on the roof of its owner’s home for 3 days, refusing to come down. Eventually, the north London Fire Department arrives to rescue the bird, but none of their ploys succeed. Finally, a fireman suggests they speak kindly to gain its trust. He begins saying “I love you,” over and over again. The bird gets annoyed. “F— off “it replies, then flies into the house. (“Best Columns,” The Week, Aug 31, 2018, pg. 12.)
Story 11
A man stands on the edge of a bridge, ready jump into the on-coming traffic below. His life is over. He lives without hope. Behind him, a beer truck comes to a stop. Two men jump out of the cab. One carries a 12-pack of Coors Light. He offers it to the man if he steps down from his perch. The man agrees. Says the police officer at the scene in St. Paul, Minnesota, “Beer has been bringing people together for a long, long time.” (“Good week for…” The Week, Aug. 31, 2018, pg. 6.)
Story 111
More than 2,000 prison inmates have volunteered to fight California’s wildfires. It’s rough, dangerous work and without their help, there wouldn’t be enough manpower to defeat the flames. Slowly, working together, prisoners and firefighters beat back the threat. The prisoners return to jail to live out their sentences. When they are released, they won’t look for work with the fire department. Their criminal records make them ineligible for the job. (“Noted,” The Week, Aug 31, 2018, pg. 16.)
Moral of these stories? If you think Washington D. C. is weird, look at the rest of us.
