What’s that noise? People walking home from where ever. Even “normal” conversations can zip right up and into my bedroom window. Used to be more disruptive until I moved the head of the bed away from the windows.

It’s a woman’s voice. Is she laughing hysterically? Or crying? I can’t tell until I hear the male voice say “Shut up, bitch!” Then, I have to get up to see.

Are they goofing around? No. She’s crying and he’s shoving her. She’s trying to turn back and he’s forcing her to go on. She’s collapsing to the grass and he’s forcing her to stay on her feet.

Another man comes and hands him something. A packet or small something. Great. Is this a drug deal going down outside my window?

I call 911. Give descriptions. Give my name and address. While on the phone I see she’s now in a fetal position on the ground. And he hits her in the back with all his force. I tell the operator. I ask them to hurry.

I watch as they continue to argue. She continues to go right, he continues to shove, push and at one point carry her left. She falls down. He kicked her! Am I going to be able to watch this?! I have to witness for her. She’ll need a witness. Where are the police? He pulls her standing by her hair. She’s so clearly afraid of him and he’s so clearly angry.

My mind races in it’s middle of the night stupor. Where are the police? Are they taking their time because it’s a domestic situation? Or because I said they were African American? Or because they’re busy with something and have no more patrols that can be here? She’s getting hurt! Don’t they care? Doesn’t she matter?

I go back for the phone and call 911 again to tell her they’re going to turn the corner and go South. As I look back toward the window, I see the police have arrived. I can’t tell if they’ve already put him in the back of one squad. Another officer is talking with her. Another officer is searching the ground (was it drugs? did he throw them when the police approached with two squads? did she tell them?) I watch for over half an hour. One squad drives off. The other officer continues to talk with her. Then finally, he gets back in his squad and drives off. She continues to walk home, or turns and enters her house. I can’t tell because they’ve gone too far around the corner to see for sure.

Will she be safe or did they leave him there to beat her because her cries were loud enough to wake a neighbor? Loud enough to wake a neighbor who called for help.