A breif list of some of my most recent acts along the lines of this occupation would be as follows:
Attacked and knocked-out a man who was beating a girl in an alleyway.
Chased off several teenagers who were harrassing an old man that worked as a security guard in a parking structure.
Fought a suicidal man into sumbission and pulled him from the subway tracks before he could be hit by the train.
Talked an old man who had lost his job down from the rails of an extension bridge and paid his cab fare home.
Disarmed a drunken man as he attempted to stab another man with a folding knife.
Killed a snake that had somehow made it into a friend’s child’s playpen.
Hunted down and destroyed a stray dog that had been terrorizing the neighborhood. (it later tested positive for rabies).
Helped a highschool kid find help for his drug addiction.
Talked a friend out of shooting himself.
It all tends to be dependant upon being in the right place at the right time, but being available and immediately ready to help is always good. I have found, however that often a person has to choose the people he can and will protect, since nobody can protect everyone. There have been times when I was injured or nearly killed trying to help someone in danger.
My suicidal friend pointed the gun at me a couple of times before I convinced him to give it to me, and I was nearly squashed by a train fighting with that crazy man I rescued.
In order to take those kinds of risks, a person must accept the fact that they might (and probably will) share the danger of a given situation if they choose to intervene. You must put away fear, but remain alert and be careful when you can.
And perhaps most of all, something must be driving you from the inside, because some of these people won’t thank you, and others don’t even want to be saved. For me, I think it is the need to make good on the mistakes of the past; but for you it could be something else.
It can never be about fame or glory. Just do the right thing and the right thing will get done.
If you have the guts to try it, I wish you the best of luck.
-Most Respectfully.
