The man hanging out of the wrecked car was still alive as I passed, and I stopped, grown a little more used to the idea now of how really badly broken he was, and made sure there was nothing I could do. He was snoring loudly and rudely. His blood bubbled out of his mouth with every breath. He wouldn't be taking many more. I knew that, but he didn't, and therefore I looked down into the great pity of a person's life on this earth. I don't mean that we all end up dead, that's not the great pity. I mean that he couldn't tell me what he was dreaming, and I couldn't tell him what was real.
The scene depicts a tragic moment where the narrator encounters a severely injured man hanging from a wrecked car. Despite his dire condition, the man is alive and snoring, a stark contrast to the severity of his injuries. The narrator observes the man’s struggle, with blood bubbling from his mouth, acknowledging the inevitability of his fate. This situation highlights the fragility of life, emphasizing the profound disconnect between the man's unwitting state and the reality that surrounds him.
The narrator reflects on the deeper implications of this encounter, not merely the end of life, but the loss of unexpressed thoughts and dreams. The man, unaware of his impending death, represents the tragic human experience of being unable to communicate one's inner world. This moment leads to a contemplation of the great pity inherent in life—how we often stand apart from each other, separated by our circumstances and lack of understanding. The narrator feels a deep sorrow for the man, who is trapped in a liminal space between life and death.
