The Punch (part two)
I talked to Eli 23.4 after the incident.I thought I'd done a textbook job of de-escalating, but he said, "I'm very concerned about one thing you said. It's dangerous."
"What?"
"You said you were in control once you got him calmed down. That's not true. When you're dealing with someone in that situation who has a mental illness, you never have control. And neither do they."
That set me correct right away. It's true, and I hadn't been thinking about it that way. He also said that the guy might have decided he liked me and punched me again anyway because there were no filters on their behavior. This is also true, because a white SUV honking enraged him instantly.
I've never had a problem with a homeless person before. They might be mildly persistent at times, but never threatening, and most of them are very polite. And it hasn't made me afraid of them. It's no different now.
I did call the police and said the guy needed help because he clearly wasn't okay. They have a homeless outreach team that they sent to do a wellness check. Hopefully he's willing to accept help, although I'm not confident he will.
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