They were standing on the balcony.
On a summer evening.
The mother turned away for a moment.
When she looked back, her daughter had gone.
She jumped twenty floors.
Leaving behind no explanation why.
They were standing on the balcony.
On a summer evening.
The mother turned away for a moment.
When she looked back, her daughter had gone.
She jumped twenty floors.
Leaving behind no explanation why.
beetleypete 
A very sad remembrance, on your former work, Pete! Sometimes you can not explain the situation of people, even most times the situation is not as bad as they had felt. ;-( Michael
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Yes, one of the jobs that comes back to haunt me more than most, Michael.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you for sharing, Pete! Even this are sad moments. Michael
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I remember this tragic story when you were an EMT.
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Yes, that’s the one. This is my ‘Short post’ version, Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That mother’s cry… Best to you, Pete.
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So few words yet so powerful in what they convey
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Thank you, Angela. I have never forgotten that day.
Best wishes, Pete.
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what a tragedy…
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It was indeed, and also one of the worst days of my EMT career.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I am working on a post about my beloved aunt who did just that one Thanksgiving in New York City. It is something a family, especially her parents, never get over.
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Sorry to hear about your aunt, Elizabeth. It hits even harder when it is family.
Best wishes, Pete.
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For sure.
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Unfortunately, the survivors always blame themselves. Warmest regards, Theo
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Very true, Theo.
Best wishes, Pete.
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This tragedy occurs more often than I wish, Mr. Pete. It breaks my heart. A middle school boy near my hometown recently took his own life. We believe he did it as an accident; just was hoping to get attention. At Christmas, a friend and colleague, 50 year old School Superintendent and son of my former secretary, took his life. It was shared the stress of Covid, coupled with existing pressures, was the cause of his anguish. Three school buses pass my house each morning. I ordered a yard sign from Etsy, “You Matter Very Much” in a beautiful blue. My hope is that anyone that reads this will know that they are worthy. I can’t imagine all you’ve seen.
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Thanks, Karla. The pandemic lockdowns have certainly affected many people to the extent of increasing the suicide rate all around the world. Your sign is a good thing, I have no doubt. This was a job I did as an EMT that affected me more than most, and on certain days, it comes back to haunt me.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That’s a difficult thing to live with. Best wishes to you too, Pete.
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(1) The daughter’s explanation was so many words hung in the air.
(2) I know a mother who named her son Jack. She always reminded him, “No jumping, Jack!”
(3) Overheard: “Next time you go bungee jumping, don’t forget to attach the bungee!”
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You did well, but that was a bad day for me. Never forgotten.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Tragic.
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One ambulance job that keeps coming back to me, Maggie.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete.
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I left a comment on the post, Pete.
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That is true anguish….
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A slightly-altered account of an ambulance job I did that keeps coming back to haunt me, Sue.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete.
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A horrendous tragedy, and I’m with Fraggle and others….
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How awful!😱
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I still can’t forget that day, Kim.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete.
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Shattering literary execution. I love these Short Thoughts.
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They are mostly real memories, Pippa.
This was one of those.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Pity there was nobody to save her, like in a recent news article when an asylum seeker saved a baby dangling from a balcony.
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She was in her twenties, and she didn’t dangle. She went straight over, head first.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete.
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Poor girl.
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This could very well be about the feelings of Eric Clapton when his son died chuq
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As I recall, Clapton’s son died accidentally. This was a suicide that I attended, but the grief of the distraught mother is still on my mind all these years later.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete.
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True…but the balcony thing made me think of it chuq
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His little boy ran through the gap of a large open window, and fell 49 floors. Terrible indeed.
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/eric-clapton-son-killed/
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what a horrific thing that would be for any parent and I don’t know whether courage or desperation for the poor child.
Hugs
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It was a job I was called to in my ambulance days, David. Never forgotten. I changed the details very slightly for the short post. She only jumped 16 floors, but that was more than enough.
https://beetleypete.com/2012/12/27/ambulance-stories-24/
Best wishes, Pete.
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