has shared a video of two paramedics attending to a man who took a tumble on the street after having one too many drinks.
Paramedics Justin and Dawn were called to check on an Indian man who had taken a tumble on the street one night. In the video released by BBC, both paramedics can be seen talking to the man who at times is incoherent due to his drunken state. On being asked if he had fallen over or hurt his mouth, the man starts declaring his love for both paramedics.
“Darling, I love you darling…..I love you sir as well,” says the drunk man who is not identified in the video.
On realising that they are not able to get any information out of him, Justin, the male paramedic, suddenly starts talking in Punjabi and asks him if he has had any alcohol.
“ਸ਼ਰਾਬ ਪੀਂਦਾ [Have you been drinking tonight?]?" he asks.
Still not completely sure of what is happening or who is talking to him, the drunk man exclaims, “Sharab! Sharab pinda….ਤੂੰ ਦੇਸੀ ਹੈਂ [Are you Desi]?”
Justin is seen to be amused by being called a Desi, before clarifying to the man that he is not Desi but can speak some Punjabi.
“ਮੈਂ ਥੋੜੀ ਥੋੜੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬੋਲ ਸਕਦਾ ਹਾਂ [I can speak some Punjabi].”
Many people have shared this video on social platform, finding it funny. yet this video is also a sad reminder of extreme isolation that migrants experience in foreign countries.
When Justin asks him "ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿਤੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹੋ? [Do you live somewhere]?" the Indian man breaks down and cries that he has to go home. He wants to go to his village.
"ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਘਰ ਜਾਣਾ ਹੈ। ...ਮੈਨੂੰ ਨਾ ...ਮੈਨੂੰ ਪਿੰਡ ਜਾਣਾ ਹੈ [I want to go home...I...I want to go to my village]."
The paramedic can be seen telling him not to worry - “ਫਿਕਰ ਨਾ ਕਰੋ," - and tries to get him into the ambulance where he can assess him properly.
As it turns out, Justin the paramedic had worked in an Indian restaurant for a year where he learnt some Punjabi phrases.
After joining the job as a paramedic, he came across many people from the Punjabi community who were living in isolation and felt bad that he was not able to comfort them or tell them that all will be okay in their own language.
In order to communicate with them better, be bought a CD and a book and learned to speak Punjabi.
If there is anyone out there setting an example of going an extra mile to do their job, Justin is certainly right there on the top.
Watch the heart-warming video here:
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