Our world is ugly. We may talk about something being disagreeable, unpleasant, unattractive, or even morally revolting, yet in the end the descriptors are not enough. For me, there is a single word; ugly.
As I recently left a roof top bistro with friends, we joined others heading for the elevator. There was room but the weight sensors said otherwise. As one of the last to get on, I along with two others volunteered to exit. When we exited at ground level shortly afterwards, everything was chaos.
As I reconnected with a friend from the first elevator, I found him with blood dripping from a cut on the bridge of his nose. My questions were met with a shrug and confused eyes.
“I do not know. Everything was fine on the ride down. As we exited the tall guy there mumbled something to me, looked me in the eyes, and head butted me.”
I turned looking at the alleged attacker. From his stance and glaring eyes there was no question that he was involved. As I repeated my question, a member of a third group volunteered that he had seen everything. He rattled on, confusing to anyone that was not in the elevator, and ended up on a single point with an exclamation.
“Your friend is innocent! He did not do anything except be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
As the scene began to spiral, it was saved by the reality that the attacker climbed into a taxi and headed out into the night. Security watched, talking but taking no action. As I reflect after multiple telephone calls that went late into the night, I am reminded of the following.
Ugliness comes in all shapes and sizes. On top of that, “the wicked crawl from the wrong side of the cradle; their first words out of the womb are lies.” (Psalm 58.3)
Friendship acts. One cannot depend on those who are accountable for our safety.
Forgiveness is a divine gift, needed by all. But for a mirror, goes you or for sure me.
