[Dr.Gonzo]

… before jumping in front of a bus?

I was just coming out of a coffeehouse, latte and pastry in hand, when I was startled out of my thoughts by the screech of tires and then the sound of a cabbage retaining water being hit by a cricket bat breaking the usual drone of city noise.

I love a latte and pastry to start the day; I find it hard to function without it. The coffeehouse I was coming out of is only a couple of minutes’ walk from work and I go there all the time – they do the best pastries and the service is impeccable.

A woman had jumped off the pavement in front of a bus. A lot of people screamed and ran to her, but I could only stand there dumbstruck, looking at her high-heeled shoes sat on the pavement, aligned with the curb. Just an average pair of woman’s shoes… black leather, 2” heels – completely unremarkable.

So why take them off?

I must have stood there for about 30 seconds, my latte and pastry forgotten as I stood and looked at the shoes lined neatly on the curb, the woman’s twisted body not even registering with me while I puzzled over the strange decision she made of taking them off. I managed to finally shake off my trance and go and inspect the carnage. It was just a body on the road – the shoes were much more interesting. What strange things we do…

So I started my short walk to my place of work, my internal dialogue not giving me a moment’s peace as I tried to work out why she would do such a thing. Suicide is a nasty business, even when you do it in private – the family and friends you will hurt! But in this case, what about the poor bus driver? He must’ve filled his Stagecoach-issue polyester trousers… and may have to find a new career.

That’s beside the point. My question still stands: Why did she take off her shoes? Being so blasé about the life she’s been given, and then throwing it away with no thought about the trauma she’ll cause to the people that witness her departure and the bus driver that has no choice but to help her complete her mission…

By the time I arrived at work I had gone through various options as to why she took them off – maybe she’d borrowed them off a friend… maybe she thought that the impact would be greater if she was flatfooted?

I don’t know, neither do my colleagues. So, do you guys have any ideas?

Why would a woman take off her shoes before jumping in front of a bus?