The lad ran around the corner and then went down a lane which ran behind the shops with a railway line on the other side. It was a dead end. He then jumped over the fence towards the rail track. This part of the track ran in a deep cutting well below street level. The lad began to scramble down the steep side of the cutting but lost his footing and tumbled down most of the 15 metres. The rough landing on the track broke his ankle.

Richard climbed down carefully to find the teenager lying across the rails in agony. This cutting is not straight but has a pronounced curve with only short visibility in either direction and is a very busy stretch of line so Richard thought it best to remove the lad from the path of trains. He dragged him off the track aggravating the pain of the broken ankle. About two minutes later a train went past so moving him had been the right thing to do. Richard then walked 200 metres to a station, asked the staff to call an ambulance and returned to comfort the injured teenager.

The police arrived along with the ambulance officers and informed the lad that the railway was going to charge him with trespass. The lad was 16, worked in an office just up the road, lived nearby with his parents and had been out window shopping during his lunch break. Explaining to his boss why he had not returned was going to be difficult. So was explaining to his parents why he did not come home from work at the usual time that night.

While he was lying on the ground Richard has searched his jacket and found a sunglasses case from our window display, but the lad had taken the case which belonged to the pair of glasses displayed at the top of the fixture. It was empty. We didn't press charges for shoplifting.

We also didn't inform the press, figuring that he had been punished enough without adding public humiliation.

If Richard hadn't moved him he would have qualified for a Darwin Award, but instead it's just a personal account.

Submitted on 02/16/2007

Submitted by: Ian Christie
Reference: Circa 1986

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Personal Account
More a tale of your colleague selflessly rescuing a mook! Just the same, a well-written tale which I will certainly keep as a PA! Thanks, Ian!

Graham said:
Neutral: Personal Account
We'll probably keep this one just because it is better written than most. Thanks, Ian

Chip said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Not terribly amusing but a good Personal Account. Thanks for the story, Ian

Tracy said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Thanks for the story - I'll vote to keep it as a PA

Jack said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Good story, Ian. I liked your write-up.

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