Selfless act; did it matter?

His mom wanted a hug, his dad wanted a tissue and Stephen Schallert wanted to know what the big fuss was for.

All he did was the right thing. While delivering a pizza in Bellevue last March, Schallert saw his customer had a swollen eye and bloody lip.

"Do you want me to call someone?" he asked her.

No.

Schallert did anyway. Police arrived and arrested the woman's boyfriend for violating a no-contact order. He pleaded guilty and is out on bail awaiting sentencing.

Wondering why I haven't named the thug? Because it's more important to name Schallert, who received the Courage in the Community Award from the Domestic Abuse Women's Network last Thursday.

"I was really worried for her," Schallert, 27, said of the victim. "She was distraught and on the verge of tears and I could see the bruises. They looked really fresh and I didn't know what to do.

"I didn't know whether to get involved, and where is my place in everything? But I figured I would feel worse if I didn't do anything. And I just made the call."

The awards ceremony was a restorative scene, as advocates, police and public officials stood to applaud Schallert. He accepted the honor awkwardly in a black hat and T-shirt bearing the name of his band Esitu, while his father, Bill, took photos and wiped away tears.

"He's selfless," said Schallert's mother, Bonnie.

Said Gary M. Ernsdorff, King County senior deputy prosecutor: "There's a lot to overcome to step forward and call the police."

People think it's a family matter, or fault both the victim and abuser. Mostly, Ernsdorff said, people are afraid.

It's ironic, considering our curiosity about things that hardly matter. Do we really need to know that Angelina Jolie delivered by C-section?

When we should ask — when we should care — we don't. And when we know, we leave it at that.

The police report says the abuser has a pending assault charge in Thurston County (same victim), and convictions for reckless and negligent driving, resisting arrest and DUI. Dangerous dog and obstruction charges also are pending.

Hearing this, Schallert became hesitant about being in the newspaper. He worried about the abuser seeing his own name and Schallert's with it.

And what of the victim, we both wondered.

"Her advocate has been unsuccessful in her attempts to reach the victim," Ernsdorff told me, then sighed. "And from the notes I saw in the file, I have a sneaking suspicion that she went back to him."

I broke this to Schallert.

"Oh, that's just awesome," he said bitterly. "I feel like I really accomplished something."

Ernsdorff understood his anger: "Believe me, I worry about these victims, too. They are vulnerable folks. I'd love to keep track of them all, but we simply can't."

And people like Schallert get dejected. Why bother sticking your neck out?

Because, like he said, it's the right thing to do.

Nicole Brodeur's column appears Wednesday and Sunday. Reach her at 206-464-2334 or nbrodeur@seattletimes.com.

She'd love to see his band.