Fight or Flight

This week, in two separate incidents, my friend Shannon and I had the opportunity to discover how each of us might react in an emergency.

The first incident was mine.

I was involved in a car accident in the Panda Express parking lot. Let's say, hypothetically, that it was my fault. I've never been in a car accident as a driver, and I've never hit another car. After the collision (which, again, was hypothetically my fault) I was a little stunned, and my first instinct was to drive away. 

Yep, I admit - I immediately thought, "I need to leave the scene of the [hypothetical] crime."

But when I regained my composure, I knew I needed to stay. The problem was, I froze up. I couldn't get out of the car. I just sat there. Fortunately, Scotty was minutes away, and he came and dealt with all the things while I sat in my state of stupor. 

My response to the incident initially leaned a little toward FLIGHT.

This gave me an inkling that I might not be very good in an emergency situation. Frankly, I'm a little disappointed in myself. 

The next incident was Shannon's. 

Shannon and I go walking early in the morning a few times a week. We walk in a pretty dark area, so it can be a little disconcerting at times. 

Yesterday, my flashlight died, so it was even darker than normal. We were engaged in deep conversation about very intelligent things when I heard a man right behind me say, "On your right!"

Shannon didn't hear what he said. All she heard was some sort of man noise (be it grunting or whatever), and as she turned, she saw a hooded figure charging at me. 

I understood that he was just trying to pass us, but to Shannon, it appeared that I was being attacked, so she let out a hearty wake-the-neighborhood scream. No, not a startled gasp, but a legit someone-is-attacking-my-friend scream. As the noise was happening, she grabbed me and pulled me out of the path of the "attacker." 

It gave me pause because, like I said, I thought someone was just trying to pass us, but I began wondering if I'd misunderstood, and I'd been been brutally maimed, and the pain hadn't registered yet. What else could have warranted Shannon's sudden spring to action? And that scream! It was a special scream reserved only for the most dire of circumstances.

After Shannon pulled me out of the way, she froze and went into "save me" mode.

Moments later, we realized everything was fine, and we burst out in hysterical laughter.

The jogger just kept running. I don't think he could get away from us fast enough.

Shannon's response to the incident initially leaned a little toward FIGHT.

As we composed ourselves (it took a while), we discussed Shannon's reaction, and it turned out that she, like me, was a little disappointed in the way she'd reacted in a hypothetically dangerous situation.

Shannnon and I had two very different responses to our adrenaline, and yet, be it fight or flight, we both froze up afterward. We have concluded that we just aren't any good in emergencies, although Shannon really could have saved my life. I think she deserves credit for that, at least.