Is it normal that i can't shake this

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So last night, my friends and I went to the mall just to get out of the house. When we were going back to the car, there was a mother, father, and a son in front of us. We were pretty close behind them, and the son had made a simple whistle noise, nothing that was harmful or bothered us. Immediately after, the father asked, "was that you" to the son, and the son nodded his head yes. After that, the father grabbed the son by the shirt and pinned him up against the wall and was screaming at him and pushing him around. My friends kept walking, although they noticed it, and I just stood there and paused. A couple seconds went by with me witnessing this, and I confronted the guy and he got in my face and said "fuck off lady." Immediately after, I walked fast because he started to follow me and I grabbed my phone and started calling the police. The wife followed me and said, "he doesn't listen, calling isn't going to do anything." She didn't really seem scared.. more like I was being an annoyance and that this was maybe semi-common. Or, that she was being abused, and didn't know what to do. Either way, I kept walking and dialed 911, and did my best to give the description of the car, my location, and the incident. My friends were already in the car, shocked by my confrontation while I stayed in the middle of the road trying to get the best description on this car.

I didn't get a picture of the car... Or try more to stop the abuse with this child. And I feel awful about it. I feel like I should have said more, and even though I probably would have gotten my ass handed to me because I'm pretty young and short, but it would have been better than the little boy. And on top of that, I feel like I put my friends in danger, but I do feel like I still did kinda the right thing? But then again, I feel like the abuse could be worse now because I intervened. I keep thinking about what it's like for the little boy and the trauma he's going to grow up with. I also work with kids from low-income areas, so I hear this stuff all the time, but seeing it in person was an even bigger shock. If this dad did this stuff in public, imagine what it's like behind closed doors.

I guess by writing this I'm asking for reason and something to help clear my head a bit, and advice as to if I should be doing anything more. What can I do differently next time this happens so I can be more prepared? Has anyone ever been that child and someone interviewed? If so (if you don't mind me asking), what was the outcome?

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Comments ( 6 )
  • YoloKingSwag69
    3 years ago

    There's this neurological disorder called misophonia (I'm pretty sure I have it myself based on certain issues I know aren't normal for someone my age) that basically means the hate of specific sounds, such as chewing, popping bubble gum, loud breathing, whistling, etc. Chewing is a common trigger for those who have it, but like I said really any noise that is repetitive enough causes it. It's really hard to explain, but it feels like your own ears are turning against you, or just whenever an unpleasant sound (nails on chalkboard) happens. It makes you feel like you either need to get away from the sound or attack whatever's making it. It makes you feel nuts because of repetitiveness and it just makes you feel even more crazy when you acknowledge it's all in your head and nobody else but yourself is experiencing it. I'm not excusing the dude's behavior though, he sounds fucking wacko. Especially since it was his own kid, that is too far lmao. It's most likely he was already just an abusive prick and his true colors decided to come out. Though, that was the first thing to come to mind when I was reading this, I could be wrong I'm just speculating, but nah I think what you did was ok tbh.

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  • jimmyneutron69
    3 years ago

    According to google: In many cultures, whistling or making whistling noises at night is thought to attract bad luck, bad things, or evil spirits. In the UK there is a superstitious belief in the "Seven Whistlers" which are seven mysterious birds or spirits who call out to foretell death or a great calamity. Dunno why that would cause the father to overreact like that though nuts.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      3 years ago

      That's really interesting actually, I'd love to read up more on that. But, with the contextual clues from the situation, I don't think it was anything to do with that... But definitely a very interesting connection.

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  • litelander8
    3 years ago

    You should have whistled at him.

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  • libertybell
    3 years ago

    You did the right thing. You saw something bad, and you intervened. Tell, me did the cops come? And if so, what happened?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      3 years ago

      The cops did not come while I was there, and I'm not sure if they did after.

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