1. A True Friend Calls the Cops (Based on an actual event)
The young girl was worried. Her friend was unhappy, very unhappy. He was talking about hurting himself, maybe even taking his own life. Some other teenager might ignore this, but not Quinn. She knew what was at stake: she'd struggled with her own mental health for several years and had even tried to commit suicide a couple of times. During her last, recent overdose attempt, she ended up in hospital for two days.
Apparently she had learned something from that episode: She didn't want someone else, someone she knew, a friend, to go down that path too.
"Mom, what's the police non-emergency number?" she asked her mother that night.
"I might have it in my cellphone. Look there."
"No, you don't. I already looked for it."
Quinn explained the situation. "Then check online. I'm sure you'll find it there," her mother answered.
Quinn found the number and called it. A blank-sound voice asked how he could help her. Quinn said she was worried about her friend Brad, and explained why she thought he might be in danger.
"That's not good," the dispatcher said. "Where does Brad live?"
"421 Sunnyvale Road, on the east side."
"Okay, I'll send a police officer there to check on him."
Quinn hung up, then got back to Brad and kept him busy online. When Brad logged off suddenly, she hoped he was talking to a police officer. About an hour later, Officer Reilly called her. "Brad's at Methodist Hospital emergency room," he said. "He's okay but he needs a psychiatric evaluation. Thanks for calling us. You did a good thing."
Quinn shrugged. It wasn't anything special. But helping made her feel really good. ###
The young girl was worried. Her friend was unhappy, very unhappy. He was talking about hurting himself, maybe even taking his own life. Some other teenager might ignore this, but not Quinn. She knew what was at stake: she'd struggled with her own mental health for several years and had even tried to commit suicide a couple of times. During her last, recent overdose attempt, she ended up in hospital for two days.
Apparently she had learned something from that episode: She didn't want someone else, someone she knew, a friend, to go down that path too.
"Mom, what's the police non-emergency number?" she asked her mother that night.
"I might have it in my cellphone. Look there."
"No, you don't. I already looked for it."
Quinn explained the situation. "Then check online. I'm sure you'll find it there," her mother answered.
Quinn found the number and called it. A blank-sound voice asked how he could help her. Quinn said she was worried about her friend Brad, and explained why she thought he might be in danger.
"That's not good," the dispatcher said. "Where does Brad live?"
"421 Sunnyvale Road, on the east side."
"Okay, I'll send a police officer there to check on him."
Quinn hung up, then got back to Brad and kept him busy online. When Brad logged off suddenly, she hoped he was talking to a police officer. About an hour later, Officer Reilly called her. "Brad's at Methodist Hospital emergency room," he said. "He's okay but he needs a psychiatric evaluation. Thanks for calling us. You did a good thing."
Quinn shrugged. It wasn't anything special. But helping made her feel really good. ###
