Struggling in Silence
His fingers slipped against the plastic ridged cap, failing to get enough traction to twist it open.
Both of his arms were encased in thick white plaster from his knuckles up past his elbows.
He repositioned his stiffened hands around the clear bottle, pressing his palms together as he leaned his weight forward.
The bottle tipped slightly on the dark metal patio table before settling back upright, untouched.
Unkind Eyes
At the adjacent cafe table, three teenagers pointed across the patio and burst into loud laughter.
They leaned in toward each other, slapping the tabletop while mimicking his rigid posture.
He lowered his head, staring down at his knees while resting his heavy casts back against the table surface.
A few feet away, two uniformed officers paused eating their lunch as the mockery continued.
Stepping In
The male officer stood up from his chair and walked directly over to the laughing teenagers.
He planted his feet, extended an arm toward the sidewalk, and ordered the group to leave immediately.
The three teens lowered their gaze, mumbled an apology, and quickly walked down the sunny city street.
A Helping Hand
The officer turned around and approached the young man sitting alone at the table.
He reached down, unscrewed the cap in one smooth motion, and lifted the bottle carefully to the young man’s lips.
The injured man took several long gulps of water before leaning back with a quiet smile.
Both officers stood beside the table, smiling back down at him as sunlight brightened the outdoor patio.
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