The Injured Party


I don't know when or how it started.  But started and it has continued for years.  When I watch the Olympics and an iceskater falls, I reflexively holler out, "Splat!"  Same thing during my short-lived stint as a watcher of bullriding.  "Splat!" if the cowboy didn't last the full eight seconds.  In public settings, I try to control the reflex.  With partial success.

Today wasn't a good day.  I've got an interpersonal conflict going on in a group that is important to me, and I'm in a position of having had to make a decision that was going to evoke hard feelings from one part of the group or the other.  And there are a couple of pressing deadlines at work.  And there was a glitch in the school email system, so an important communication wasn't received.  Grumble, grumble.

Frankly, I was glad when it was time to go down and get some lunch before a session someone had scheduled where we would all share tips we'd figured out around a new software program we're working with.  I got my salad and a modest portion of pasta and was heading, with my tray, to get a beverage.  And suddenly I was on the floor.  On my bum.  With pain in my toe, my knee, and my hip.  All on the right side.  I sat for a bit to settle myself and then a great big assistant teacher (the guy who played Jesus in "Spelling Bee" last year, fittingly) gently helped  me to my feet.  I hurt.  A coworker walked with me to a place where I could sit and rest; a friend went to get me a fresh lunch.  It might have been worse:  I could have hit my head.  I could have fractured my hip.  Heck, my dress might have flown up!  "Grace personified!" I thought -- that's what my late mother would have exclaimed.  Advil was dispensed.  A form was filled out.  I was assured that I'll feel worse tomorrow.  And then we held our meeting.

I sure hope someone hollered "Splat!"  I deserved it.




Comments

Nancy said…
OUCH!!!

So glad you weren't hurt...Other than your dignity..
Pat said…
Cringe, winch, sympathetic grasping of various body parts.....Oh Nancy, this is not funny. Glad you are OK.

Keep taking the Advil, rest up and thank God your momma always told you to wear clean undies.
It must have been a day for weird accidents. I had some potatoes boiling on the stove and, unbeknown to me, some of the water splattered onto the laminate floor. I was putting away clean dishes from the dishwasher and squeezed into the space between the DW door and the counter next to the stove. Next thing I knew, I was doing the splits! How many years has it been since I've done splits?!! I caught myself on the counter, but could not get me foot under me because of the wet floor. Hubby had to rescue me: he closed the DW door so I had room to maneuver. Glad you're okay.
QuiltingFitzy said…
Yup, tis the season. I did my "splat" on Saturday, walking in the rain, into a restaurant. Completely drenched my left leg and had to eat dinner that way, lol.

Glad you're ok Nancy...we HAVE to hang TOUGH!
Unknown said…
But don't you feel such a Charlie when you do it - hope the residual aches subside quickly Nancy (((hugs)))
Judi said…
Poor you! Hope you are not too sore today.

The last time I did something like this was in a car park in Pennsylvania. I remember all the potential (expensive) injuries that passed through my mind as I was falling!

Glad you had some nice people to help you.
Diana said…
Yikes! Taking a spill like that can be downright scary! I hope you're not hurting too bad today.
Mrs. Goodneedle said…
First, I am glad that you are/were (relatively) unhurt.

Second, let me tell you that I found this post to be profound; there is much here to ponder and process.

Third, so you'll know that you're not alone: my MIL always used to giggle when she would witness someone falling. Not at all in a malicious way, she simply claimed it would tickle her funny bone to witness a tumble~ whether it was on TV or out in the real world somewhere. Now, at 88, she is unsteady on her feet and will often remark, with her characteristic *twinkle*, that she hopes someone is watching her and getting a good chuckle!

Please take good care... rest, ice, Advil are your new best friends.
Lori said…
Dang!I'm so glad your dress didn't fly up! LOL
I'm laughing but I cannot imagine how you must have felt and are feeling today. Love ya!

Word of the day: sucklier- worse than sucky!
Quiltdivajulie said…
SPLAT ... there, in case no one else said it.

Do hope you are feeling okay on day 2 ... and that the issues are calming down.

HUGS
Micki said…
I hope that it doesn't hurt too much. It does hurt more the next day. Yes, have lots of advil available.
Feel Better!
Micki
Patty Nordahl said…
I hope you are feeling better today and time proves that you did no serious damage. And no matter what your decision I know it will be handled with grace and diplomacy.
howdidIgethere said…
Hope you're feeling better today, Nancy. Keep the Advil handy, though.

WV: sitimis -- verb: to fall on the floor because you missed the chair
As an experiencd faller, I, like Mrs. Goodneedled's MIL have a tendency to laugh when I fall (except the time I broke my hip -that really smarted)when I think of what I must have looked like. I also once did a slits slipping on a e=wet floor. It's just hard not to laugh. But then there's the humiliation factor when it's public fall. Sheesh! Garrison
Kiellor wrote a hilarious short piece about a naked semi-public fall he experienced.
Glad you're not hurt.
WV butsymoc - what you just experienced
OOh...I feel your pain! I took a SPLAT on the 15th of September and found myself with a severely sprained right foot and a broken left wrist.
I find my arm in a newspaper bag each morning as i attempt to shower and lemme tell you, the pain, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy!
Al and I went on a scheduled vacation for 5 days to St Thomas and I found myself sitting on the pool steps wishing I was flying down the slide and swimming from end to end of the pool :(
As I step to the other side of 55 this December i'm feeling like I better get AARP soon!!!
Tanya said…
Sorry to hear of your spill. Hope the Advil helped out! Be careful. You wouldn't want to hurt your sewing arm either..