There were piercing female shrieks from the front of the San Francisco Unified School District headquarters at McAllister and Franklin on Thursday afternoon, drawing security guards to what looked like a bad breakup between two young street people.
Individual words were difficult to make out since the banshee quality of the screaming didn't involve clear diction.
The guy let himself be yelled at for a couple more minutes after they had crossed Franklin Street, and then he wandered off with his shopping cart full of belongings.
This initiated another round of screams and invective and operatic overacting by the girl who threw herself to the ground...
...just as a motorcycle cop drove by, stopping behind traffic directly across the street from her.
Did the policeman do a damned thing while this strange woman was screaming bloody murder, possibly checking to see if she was okay? Of course not. He gave a quick glance and drove merrily on his way. This is the San Francisco Police Department we're talking about, whose laziness and lack of caring has now reached legendary proportions. I wish our new police chief Mr. Gascon all the luck in the world because he's got a very long road ahead of him.
Dear Mike, I think this ties with "Tiger Woods" for my favorite post of yours since I've been reading Civic Center.
ReplyDeleteDear Mark: What, you don't hang on every word of my profound cultural musings? That's okay, neither do a lot of other people. Thanks for the kind words.
ReplyDeleteMike, That's a BMX bike. Used to chase bad guys up and down stairs and the like. Other cities direct them from helicopters but we don't have any helicopters cause they're too dangerous for cops to fly says the POA.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, these cops are the baddest ass of the bad asses and don't do your normal domestic disturbance. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and say he had a car coming up. He made certain she was out of the street and in no danger. Making a U turn himself there probably didn't make sense.
Hey, I'm these guys most vocal critic but they're like a bad football team. Get em the right owner and coach and they could be a winner.
I'll give you my read on Gascon as he and I cross paths. So far he looks like God.
h.
Dear h: Thanks for the informed view. The thing that was odd about this scene is that the boyfriend with the shopping cart was gone from view by this time, and when I use the word banshee I'm not indulging in hyperbole. She was loud enough to wake up the entire neighborhood from the dead. It just seemed very strange that he wouldn't check it out since he didn't seem to be in any particular hurry.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. It does seem odd that the cop wouldn't have at least stopped for a second and asked her if she was okay. Especially in such a busy area where I am sure plenty of people (besides you!) were watching the drama unfold.
ReplyDeletehey sf mike
ReplyDeletei took the liberty of reposting this on my facebook, couldn't pass the chance of showing another dirty harry to my FB afficcionados
Dear Mike,
ReplyDeleteCombine the two posts together and you could call them "Joy and Pain: August, San Francisco."
For me, the pictures in these two special posts just convey so much life .
Gawd how I miss the smell sweet smell of urine at my doorstep and screaming banshees with or without shopping carts. Thank you Michael for the lovely memories. I'll be dropping in now and again; how I miss San Francisco.
ReplyDelete