Pre-Writing Strategy, Essay Example

The witness to the described event was in a dilemma. The witness was having the kind of anxiety that tears away at the conscience. The person who witnessed the potential theft should have asked the exercise partner to offer opinions about the event. After all, that person saw it too. Upon going home, the witness’ spouse should have been consulted. Most times, two heads are better than one. If the neighborhood has a crime problem, then it is going to take all citizens to do their part in solving it. Effective neighborhoods watch programs have been successful for years.

The next day, after sleeping on the issue, the witness should have checked the morning paper, radio, and television reports. Perhaps some suspicious activities had been reported for the area. If an actual crime has been committed, it might have been reported, and the issue could have been laid to rest for the Sunday evening witness. The witness could have even gone to the next door neighbor’s home where a sophisticated police radio band blasted continually as a favorite hobby of the man of the house. If a commotion nearby had raised the attention of law enforcement authorities, the neighbor would have heard about it. If he had not heard anything, the witness would be back to square one. Careful homework on the part of the witness might help with the sorting out of feelings that were lingering from the previous evening. Sometimes, a little time helps the mind to find concreteness.

Armed with advice, the witness could have dropped by the site during lunch the next day. Then, any suspicion could be checked with the supervisors there about any loss that they might have sustained from the previous evening. Any hint from the officials at the work site would have given pure justification to file a police report. If the people there indicated that everything was perfectly normal with their inventory, then the witness could have dropped the entire matter and never thought of it again. When things like this burden our minds, then we should act on them. This is the best way to deal with them. If the matter is truly not important, then it would not weigh on our emotions. The witness must act on gut feelings to resolve that which is unsesloved.

It is nearly impossible to armchair quarterback a situation such as this one. Not being the moment, we are left to the meager descriptions, and opinions, of the one writing the scenario. Atkinson’s piece is explanatory, but there may have been additional elements, crucial to our knowing, that were omitted. We, in the case of this assignment, must base our impressions on the information that is provided. Given these facts, the witness should report what was seen at the construction location. The witness would not be reporting crime. The witness would be reporting facts. The police could decide if the facts relate to crime. This is not the job of the law abiding citizen. Reporting is living up to civic obligation.