Choices Question 3: Does Ken show Peggy that he feels any sense of responsibility to her after the accident? Do you think he has any obligation to her? Discuss?

    At the start of the story “Choices” by Susan Kerslake, a girl named Peggy gets asked by her friend Ken, whether she wants to go on a road trip. Peggy “had a little while to make up her mind” (pg 3) before it was time to go. She decided to go along with Ken, and this decision would change her life forever. The two of them were driving on the highway on a hot summer morning, when all of the sudden, they got into an accident. Imagine you are Peggy. You are lying on the pavement, with the car on top of you. You can not feel any part of your body. You have no idea what has happened to Ken. Is he hurt? Is he alive? Finally, an ambulance comes. You find out you are paralyzed, but Ken, who was driving the car, only hit his head. In the ambulance, you look over at Ken. He is not showing any sense of responsibility, or even checking how you are. You try to “catch Ken’s eye, to get him to look” (pg 11) but it is no use. Now imagine you are Ken. What is going through your mind? It seems as if Ken is not feeling any sense of responsibility, because he is not even going over to see if Peggy was okay. This does not show responsibility, since you are the one that caused the accident. Because of this, now Peggy is paralyzed for life. Since Ken was the cause of the accident, should he be obligated to be by her side?
    Even though it was his fault, he should not be obligated to be at her side. Ken and Peggy are not in a relationship. They are more of  “friends with benefits” than anything else. Peggy and Ken were both shocked that it had “endured past summer” (pg 5) since they lived a distance from each other, and both of them had “intense relationships with others.” (pg 5) They can not just suddenly become a couple just because of this accident. It would not be a true relationship.
    On the other hand, Ken should be obligated to be at Peggy’s side. This was a life changing injury. Also, it is his fault that she is paralyzed! Ken was the driver, and he was driving when the accident happened. He should feel guilty, and should be at her side. This could be by supporting her through her recovery, and maybe even giving her money to help pay for rehab.  Ken was the “only one who has been through this with her,” (pg 11) and Peggy did not want him to get up and leave her. Even though they were not in a relationship, he should still be there for her. She needed him. He would be that one person who would understand what is going on.
    Peggy is paralyzed for life, and nothing will be able to change that. For that reason, Ken is obligated to be there at her side. Whether it is something little or something large that he does, he should still be there for Peggy. She will need support, and that is something Ken should be willing to do for her, whether it is obligated or not.