Shocking experience

[ShipofFools]

Hey Escapists,
I don't come seeking for any advice, but I do have to share this story with someone, so why not with you guys? You seem smart and compassionate.

Anyway, yesterday I visited my mother, and on the way back I had to make a detour to the city of Middelburg to catch the train home.
When the bus dropped me off at the railway station, my train just left. (Guaranteed connection between bus and train my ass!)
So I had to wait an hour for the next one. No worries, I had a good book and plenty of tobacco with me.

I walked over the platform, and saw a lady's bag on a bench. I sat down next to it with the intention of looting, and rolled a ciggy first.
Inside the bag where two woman's winter coats, no use for me, so I left them there and smoked my cigarette.

Then these two boys came to me, 14 to 15 years old or something, asking if I could roll a cigarette for them. They gave me this bag of really old, dry crumbly tobacco, no good, so I offered them to roll from my own tobacco.
They sat next to me and we began to talk.

They seemed really afraid of something, so I asked what was wrong. (My first instinct was that they had done drugs or something.)
But they said that they ran from a youth institution two days ago, and were sleeping here behind the station.
They were very scared to go back to that institution, and also for the police who were probably looking for them.
Now, you had to be there, man. Those eyes.. they were so scared.

So I did some illegal stuff; I gave them my last beer, witch they drank, and I gave them some money for food and drink. Then I remembered those two coats, and I gave those to them as well.
You know what the tall one said? He was so god damn happy because tonight they wouldn't be so cold...
Damn man, tears in my eyes.
I gave them about half of my tobacco, too, and some rolling papers, and showed them how to roll themselves, and then I left with my train.
They ran with the train to wave goodbye, the poor boys.

Well, this has really shaken me, you know? You sometimes hear about these things on the news, but when you actually get confronted with it, it's very different.
I don't know, maybe I should have turned them in to the police, but I just couldn't. They were so scared, man!

Anyway, I had to get this off my chest. Thanks for reading, and if you've had similar experiences or just want to comment, don't hesitate.

 

[BARQ]

Interesting day you've had. I've had a few experiences like this myself. It's more than a good feeling of helping people who have terrible circumstances, it's helping make the world a better place, which is something we all need. Good on you dude. Maybe you'll run into them again sometime?

 

[PBMcNair]

Hey Escapists,

But they said that they ran from a youth institution two days ago, and were sleeping here behind the station.
They were very scared to go back to that institution, and also for the police who were probably looking for them.
Now, you had to be there, man. Those eyes.. they were so scared.

Any info on this institution ? Why they were there ? Why they had to run ? Could be talking to the police may be a good thing, if they are in some sort of trouble.

 

[ShipofFools]

Hey Escapists,

But they said that they ran from a youth institution two days ago, and were sleeping here behind the station.
They were very scared to go back to that institution, and also for the police who were probably looking for them.
Now, you had to be there, man. Those eyes.. they were so scared.

Any info on this institution ? Why they were there ? Why they had to run ? Could be talking to the police may be a good thing, if they are in some sort of trouble.

I don't know, they wouldn't say. Maybe they had really good reasons to flee the institution, maybe there are really good reasons to inform the authorities.
I don't think I can make that judgement. Can you imagine?

And everyone who has read this thread, thank you for reading! It feels good to share stories like this, doesn't it?

 

[PBMcNair]

I don't know, they wouldn't say. Maybe they had really good reasons to flee the institution, maybe there are really good reasons to inform the authorities.
I don't think I can make that judgement. Can you imagine?

Don't worry, I didn't mean rat them out. I just wondered if it came up. It's something I would have asked about, sleeping behind a train station relying on the kindness of strangers isn't a great plan long term.

 

[ShipofFools]

I don't know, they wouldn't say. Maybe they had really good reasons to flee the institution, maybe there are really good reasons to inform the authorities.
I don't think I can make that judgement. Can you imagine?

Don't worry, I didn't mean rat them out. I just wondered if it came up. It's something I would have asked about, sleeping behind a train station relying on the kindness of strangers isn't a great plan long term.

I told them that, yeah, but you know how it is. Maybe they didn't have any options, you know?

It's a hard world, man.

 

[Siege_TF]

The authorities are often impotent, the media however is always hungry for a story, and one about downtrodden street urchins probably smells a lot like money to them, and while the local government may only care to put the place under a magnifying glass for a couple of minutes the media may well put them under a microscope for longer than that.

 

[Jamieson 90]

if two boys are willing to run away from the institution they're staying in, only to downgrade to sleeping behind a train station in the freezing cold with no food, shelter or money, with the dangers that come associated with living rough and on the streets, then one has to ask just what the hell was going on in their children's home? Possibly abuse? sexual abuse? I mean kids don't just crack and decide to run away for no reason at all, so I imagine it was pretty bad.

As for your questions I have mixed feelings, I mean it's pretty clear you were good intentioned, but I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with giving them tobacco and alcohol, but then you could argue they'd get it elsewhere anyway and you probably saved them having to steal or beg to get it, so in a way you helped them. I wouldn't have stolen the coats only to give them to the boys either, but I would probably have turned a blind eye if I saw the boys take them as I'm not one to snitch, I would have given them money and bought them some food though whilst trying to find out what was going on with them.

 

[krazykidd]

Well . That didn't end how i thought it would .

Poor boys though . I can't imagine going through something like that ( and rarely do i sympathise with people ).

Also , what the hell were you doing drinking beer outside and rollig tabacco waiting for the train ? Seriously , you seem a lot shadier than the kids.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Well, honestly, you sound like a horrible person. I mean seriously, who the hell rummages through other people's belongings, steals clothes, and gives alcohol and cigarettes to children?

If you'd actually wanted to help those kids you should have either taken them to the police, or if you were truly averse to that, given them some money and food or gotten them a room at a hotel so they wouldn't have to sleep on the street.

Seriously, you just sound like a total deadbeat of a person. I don't know why you would be proud of what you did, and I have no idea why other people on the escapist are congratulating you for it.