Blood in the Streets

I was walking down Broad Street when I saw some guy walking the other way on the other side of the street.  I saw him stop at the bridge over the highway and lean far over.  I thought, Don't jump.  That would so ruin my Saturday.  He didn't.  He just stood there awhile and stumbled on.  I assumend he was just still lit or hungover from the night before.

I needed to cross the street then and waited for traffic to clear.  In the mean time I watched the guy in his sweat pants and jacket jangle on down the street.  After I'd crossed, I noticed spots on the side walk that looked like blood.  They were bright red as if freshly dropped.  There was a pool of spots near the bridge where the guy had stopped.  I looked back, but he was gone.  I'd thought about turning around to see if he was OK, but didn't.  I decided he was clearly an adult and could take care of himself.  I did wonder if this were a slow suicide.

There was a spot every six inches or so on the sidewalk for several blocks, disappearing at the intersection, then picking up again at the sidewalk.  After about a quarter mile I had to decide whether to continue along my path or follow the trail and at the intersection the spots seemed to go in different directions.

On the same route I saw skid marks from the other side of the street going up to the side walk and ending in the upturned dirt of the landscaping on the other side.  The a muddy trail leading back to the street.

How much is missed.