Photograph taken earlier in the day
Last week I took a few days off and became a tourist in my birth city. I'd never traveled the Thames by boat and this was the first thing I did, buying a day pass for the Thames Clipper. The day was beautiful, hot on the underground, cool on the river. London stretched out as a panoramic postcard and I enjoyed the scene from Westminster to Greenwich. It was fascinating viewing the city from the river, joining the dots on places I'd visited, familiar sights seen anew from a vantage point unchanged over centuries. Spotting the Prospect of Whitby in Wapping I made a mental note to visit in the future.
Towards the end of my trip the boat approached Tower Bridge and I noticed blue flashing lights above and wondered if a terrorist incident was unfolding. Earlier in the morning I'd disembarked at Westminster and observed the recently installed barriers around Westminster Bridge and was reminded of the terrible incident in March.
Crowds of people were pushed up against railings on one side of Tower Bridge. As we sailed under and beyond I looked back and saw a lone figure in a white t-shirt had climbed over the railings and was standing with their back to the river. The boat stopped at Tower of London and I kept my eyes on the figure, noticing police boats a safe distance below and a growing police presence on the bridge. My heart ached for the crisis that had led to this potential suicide attempt/cry for help. Around me tourists happily snapped away, unable to 'read' the city, blissfully unaware of the personal drama unfolding.
I couldn't take my eyes from the lone figure, small against the bulk of the bridge, they did not fall while in my line of vision. Disembarking from the boat I lost sight of them and found it so hard to walk away, as if I could keep them safe with my gaze. Knowing they were in capable hands helped, police and medics near who could support them, react.
On the cobblestones by Tower of London I quietly turned my body and palms towards the person in crisis, directing a prayer and wishing they felt the love and support around them and could find hope. It was all I could do. As I neared the station I heard an ambulance sirens wail, making its way towards bridge. I've wondered about them since.
