That's right - One minute I was standing and the next I was sitting on the ground. Life for me is relatively simple in the mornings. I get up, shower, have breakfast and bus to work with my daughter. Once we get to the CBD we grab a coffee, have a quick catch-up and then go our separate ways. Last Thursday I decided to change this routine. As I was walking to work my right foot slipped out from under me and suddenly I was sitting on the ground. Now most people would choose not to do this in a public place, but not me. No, I decided to provide some early morning entertainment for all the people waiting at the bus exchange.
Not surprisingly I am certain I got up much quicker than I fell. One concerned lady did ask me if I was alright and I assured her I was. To be honest I wasn't exactly sure. Amazingly I had managed to keep hold of my coffee even though this was the hand that I used to try to stop myself falling and slammed into the paving instead. Trying to look casual I slowly walked the few metres to my work place whilst sipping my coffee. My left knee wasn't feeling too good and my bottom a little sore, but I was determined not to check for injuries until I had got through the door. There I found a nice hole in my favourite leggings and some skin missing from my left knee. The hand was a little red, but no grazes to be seen. Trying to look as if I didn't have a care in the world I made my way to my desk, but obviously the adrenaline was wearing off a little by then. I would have cried, but somehow it seemed a little childish, so instead a call was made to my husband who came rushing to my side on his white steed (actually a work vehicle he borrowed from a colleague, but it is white).
All this time I had not uttered a word of my fall to the colleagues who were already at their desks. Why you ask? It seems I am a very private person and had yet to recover from my embarrassment of falling in the first place. However, an explanation was required as I informed them of my departure. They must think I am strange, but it would be highly unlike me to become hysterical because I had hurt myself. There was a quick trip to my husband's place of work for some first aid as I had to admit to him I had no idea where the first aid kit was at my place of work. Then it was home to recover. By this time the adrenalin had worn off and a decided limp had appeared. As I said to my husband it was "interesting" to discover where I was hurting as I came to the realisation that the jarring of the fall made me sore in less obvious places.
My other daughter, at home, just rolled her eyes when I told her why I was home. Apparently my old age is now showing in a lack of balance. As my husband kindly pointed out I have managed to walk up and down our driveway which has large cracks thanks to the earthquake in 2011, and down our street with its non-existent footpath without doing any damage to myself (my shoes have been the only victims). Now it seems I can't navigate a flat piece of paving. Wider family members found the situation hilarious and there were offers of zimmer frames and such like. One even went as far to suggest I check YouTube to see if anyone had been lucky enough to capture my moment of descent.
Normally I try to avoid falling over and have managed this quite successfully. I do not count my experience of Mother Nature trying to tumble dry me in the shower in 22 February 2011. In fact the last time I can remember falling was prior to 2000 when I thought I could fly from the top step at our back door to the concrete path below. Now that was spectacular and I managed to do it without an audience. I would have paid money to watch that.
Of course I can now laugh about it and the aches are not as bad. As for my embarrassment that quickly disappeared. I fell, but there are much worse things that can happen in life. When you learn to laugh at yourself you find nothing is as bad as it first seems.
And if you are lucky you will discover a caring husband who goes to the mall that same day and buys you a replacement pair of leggings. The exact same ones, but a size smaller. The best part is they fit and he has unintentionally paid me a compliment.
No comments:
Post a Comment