MONROE, Wash. — In an act of breathtaking selflessness, a local man warned a woman to be careful after she stumbled over a styrofoam halal container and wiped out on the sidewalk.
“I don’t think of myself as a hero. I just did what anyone would do. I’m glad I was in the right place at the right time,” said the humble Samaritan, Joe Ugorette. “I don’t even want to think about what might have happened to her otherwise.”
The woman had light bruising and bloody knees, but did not sustain a concussion – though no one knows for sure because, after Ugorette’s wise words of caution, the other bystanders at the scene assumed she was fine.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. I immediately called my girlfriend to tell her how quickly this guy sprang into action,” said Dean Pearlmutter, another witness to Ugorette’s post facto intervention. “I mean, he didn’t miss a beat. As soon as her body hit the pavement, he was right there with the ‘careful.’ I definitely didn’t have the presence of mind to come through like he did. My girlfriend asked me why he didn’t tell her to look out before she tripped. I was like, ‘Babe, the guy is a white knight, not a freaking precog!’”
Acts of chivalry like Ugorette’s are rare, according to Dr. Aurika Hays, a psychologist who studies altruistic behaviors.
“Studies have shown that the average human — specifically, the average man — is primarily self-centered. However, in every generation, there are a few dozen people who go above and beyond to help others, without any obvious personal gain,” said Hays. “It seems Mr. Ugorette is a member of this small but vital group. People like this are probably how we’ve survived as a species.”
At press time, the anonymous woman was attempting to get up and gather her belongings and what remained of her dignity. Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, Ugorette was swarmed by an adoring crowd of newly-minted fans, begging him to say “careful” one more time so they could make it into a GIF.
