Kate Tellers

This is the Moth Radio Hour.

I'm your host, Kate Tellers.

The other night, I was walking home from the subway with my two children, ages 8 and 10.

We had just crossed an intersection when we heard squealing tires immediately followed by the crunch of metal.

When we turned around, there were two people lying in the street next to a smashed up motorcycle.

I knew two things immediately.

I had to call 911, and my children could not witness this.

I quickly told them to turn around with their backs to the street and me as I described to the dispatcher what I was witnessing.

After help was confirmed, I turned around to my children to see their tiny backs, rigid, lit up by flashing blue and red lights as the sound of sirens grew closer.

They looked so innocent.

I do not regret preserving some of that.

Sometimes the right thing to do is to look away, and other times we need to look life straight in the eyes.

In this hour, we'll explore stories from people who are grappling with this conundrum.

And for all you big-hearted people out there, I confirmed with a detective later that the two men in the intersection survived.

They will, thankfully, be fine.

Our first story comes from Allie Griswold, who told us at a story slam in London, England.

Here's Allie.

That was Allie Griswold.

Allie is a writer and former investigative journalist living in London.

This is her first story for The Moth.