Should I have done something?
Discussion
I know this will sound wierd, but bear with me. I was coming home on the bus tonight and there was a girl, about 11-12ish sitting in front of me. After a little while she got her phone out, and I glanced over her shoulder. I watched her type in a number that I immediatly recognised, 08001111 - Childline. She obviously didn't get through as she hung up after about 10 seconds, then she went into her call lists and deleted the number from her called numbers list.
She tried again after a few minutes, but obviously didn't get through again. Same process, deleting the number from her called numbers list. Its been on my mind ever since. Should I have done something? She didnt seem upset or anything, although I only saw the back of her head, but I feel as if I should have done something like at least ask if she was ok. What stopped me from doing it was that she might be embarrased/scared if I asked her, and it would seem wierd - if an adult saw it and asked her then ok, but I'm 16. She got off at my bus stop but walked the other way, and it made me feel really wierd, and kind of guilty. Should I have done something?
She tried again after a few minutes, but obviously didn't get through again. Same process, deleting the number from her called numbers list. Its been on my mind ever since. Should I have done something? She didnt seem upset or anything, although I only saw the back of her head, but I feel as if I should have done something like at least ask if she was ok. What stopped me from doing it was that she might be embarrased/scared if I asked her, and it would seem wierd - if an adult saw it and asked her then ok, but I'm 16. She got off at my bus stop but walked the other way, and it made me feel really wierd, and kind of guilty. Should I have done something?
Poor you - try not to worry too much.
While it could have been quite a serious thing - abuse, etc, it could equally have been something less serious as she has homework worries - don't forget childline is there for someone to talk to.
If you had approached her, I doubt anything positive would have come from it, she would probably either have given you a mouthful and told you where to go, clammed up, or screamed for help
Try not to dwell too much on it, just keep an eye out for her, and pride yourself on being a caring person.
While it could have been quite a serious thing - abuse, etc, it could equally have been something less serious as she has homework worries - don't forget childline is there for someone to talk to.
If you had approached her, I doubt anything positive would have come from it, she would probably either have given you a mouthful and told you where to go, clammed up, or screamed for help
Try not to dwell too much on it, just keep an eye out for her, and pride yourself on being a caring person.
Plotloss said:
No.
The people who she was trying to call will deal with any issues she may have, you could have opened a proper can of worms there.
Absolutely fair play to you though, most people wouldnt give a toss.
What he said again. Childline is run by professionals who are trained to deal with problems like the ones she was presumably trying to phone about, you're not. If you heard about her problems and tried to help it would be a different matter, but she was trying to get help anyway so I would just let her get on with it.
BliarOut said:
Oh and if you see her again maybe just sit next to her and say hello, don't mention the childline thing at all, but maybe a conversation on a bus might cheer her up a little.
Cheers,
Rob.
Nooooo, grooming is only going to make matters worse
Yeh, thats what I was thinking. You don't generally sit next to people on buses - normally only the crazy old guy sits next to people and chats to them. When was the last time you were on a bus BlairOut?
Good suggestion, but if someone came and sat next to me and started chatting to me I'd be a bit worried, but I'll keep an eye out for her.
This thread is going downhill fast.
On a serious note somethinglike this happenedtome. I was in a stall in the khasis at work. Noone else in there. Someoneburst in and locked themselves in the next stall and burst into tears. I had no idea what to do. I eventually asked "Are you OK?" He basically said it was family trouble but hopefully I helped a little by speaking to him.
In your situation be very careful. The small minded numpties we face on the roads are the same people that jump to illogical conclusions if they think you might be a paedo. Look up the anti paedo protests in Paulsgrove that happened on googlet. They beat up a paediatrician because they didnt know what it meant. You cant argue with people like that.
On a serious note somethinglike this happenedtome. I was in a stall in the khasis at work. Noone else in there. Someoneburst in and locked themselves in the next stall and burst into tears. I had no idea what to do. I eventually asked "Are you OK?" He basically said it was family trouble but hopefully I helped a little by speaking to him.
In your situation be very careful. The small minded numpties we face on the roads are the same people that jump to illogical conclusions if they think you might be a paedo. Look up the anti paedo protests in Paulsgrove that happened on googlet. They beat up a paediatrician because they didnt know what it meant. You cant argue with people like that.
Rob_F said:
m1spw is 16 or something though if i'm not mistaken, so he's unlikely to be strung up for being a filthy peado
Cheers,
Rob.
No, hopefully the fact that I'm still at school and under 18 might give a small idea that I'm not a 40 year old offering kids sweets to come for a ride in my car...actually, I don't even have a car! I guess one thing that might have helped was that I was wearing a suit at the time, not just jeans/trakkies. Anyway, if I see her again I'll just smile and maybe ask if she's ok if she seems upset?m1spw said:
Oh and if you see her again maybe just sit next to her and say hello, don't mention the childline thing at all, but maybe a conversation on a bus might cheer her up a little.
Cheers,
Rob.
Yeh, thats what I was thinking. You don't generally sit next to people on buses - normally only the crazy old guy sits next to people and chats to them. When was the last time you were on a bus BlairOut?
Bus, a bus? About twenty years ago young man
I'm far too wealthy to use public thansport 
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