Remembered a homeless man.
First QOTW post. Be nice.

Crossing over the bridge on my way into town for lunch one grey Tuesday afternoon, I walked past a load of police cars, tape, and a forensics van with people in those white onesies milling around. Getting the horrible scared sinking feeling in my gut, I was too afraid to approach the policemen and women who were standing by the tape. But I knew something bad had happened.

A colleague's girlfriend was working for the police at the time and had access to a police radio, so along with local news and her text updates, we found out that some of the homeless guys I'd seen many times by the river had had a fight, and one had ended up in the river. Another colleague had driven past police, fire and ambulance gathered further down the Wey. Dribs and drabs of news came through, and via the police radio we heard he'd been pulled out and taken to hospital, still alive but not doing well.

On Thursday we found out he'd died the night before. That sick feeling hit me again. I'm not sure why I felt so strongly about it, but I couldn't get it out of my head; feeling so sad, yet simultaneously numb.

Thursday's lunchbreak was horrible; walking past where before, there had been commotion and lots of police, there was now no-one - and nothing to indicate any incident had even happened there.

All I did was buy some flowers and put them on a bench where I'd seen them hanging around before. I didn't know this guy and I didn't know what had happened to cause the fight that lead to his death, but I just wanted something there. Nobody saw me, and there was no point in writing anything as I had nothing to say.

The flowers were gone by lunchtime on Friday. Now there's a sign on the bridge asking for information, as there's a murder enquiry.

I don't know if they did anything, drew anyone's attention or let somebody know that respect was being paid. But something inside me demanded that it had to be done.

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2061585_homeless_man_in_court_accused_of_river_wey_murder
(fevaxyn went umop apisdn uo, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 12:42, 13 replies)

You are a good person
and therefore get my click.
(Smale is stuffed, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 12:53, closed)

^ this

(evil_hound last barked at the moon on, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 13:19, closed)

^ this.

( Jimbuktu See? Right here, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 13:07, closed)

a can of white ace
might have been more appropriate.




a click nonetheless though for being a nice individual.
(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 13:57, closed)

if he gets done for it
at least he'll have a roof over his head and three squares.

rafter
baz
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 14:46, closed)

I thought that as well
and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
(fevaxyn went umop apisdn uo, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 17:23, closed)

Awww
You lovely person. I know what you mean though - some times you just see things that although they don't directly affect your life, make you feel moved in some way by them.
( Mike Fishcake teamfishcake.co.uk - better than your mum's face, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 15:26, closed)

Thank you. I'm not that sentimental either... But I got the same horrible feeling remembering and writing out the story.
(fevaxyn went umop apisdn uo, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 17:30, closed)

I worked at that Odeon!
Crossed that bridge nearly every day while at uni there a few years ago, I must've seen him around Guildford at some point :(
(bobming, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 16:25, closed)

I'm a local and this is the first I've heard of it
and Guildford's got some pretty famous tramps living around the place. Famous locally, at any rate.

Very sad.
( Kroney, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 16:34, closed)

Great post!
Like it muchly, so have a *click*.
( SpankyHanky, Thu 14 Jan 2010, 16:47, closed)

Respect!

( The Lone Groover has mal des nuts., Thu 14 Jan 2010, 21:51, closed)

I work in the theatre just over the river. Still miss seeing him of a morning.
(kccat does NOT look like Joe 90, Sun 17 Jan 2010, 0:12, closed)