The
summer of 1954 is now being set down in the history of my life as the worst
summer of my entire worldly existence.
Not only did I contract ringworm of the scalp on a family vacation to
the East Coast that summer, heretofore already recounted in this forum, but I
tried to crack a rock with my head, as well.
summer of 1954 is now being set down in the history of my life as the worst
summer of my entire worldly existence.
Not only did I contract ringworm of the scalp on a family vacation to
the East Coast that summer, heretofore already recounted in this forum, but I
tried to crack a rock with my head, as well.
Here’s
how it went down–literally. Granddad
Homer had just presented me with my first bicycle, complete with training
wheels. I was eight years old and ready
for the next leap in mode of transportation beyond relying solely on the soles
of my feet. So, I joined a couple of older
boys who were riding their bikes in the street in front of my house. Not yet comfortable with the dynamics of bike
riding, I suddenly found my path cut off by one of the other boys and, rather
than collide with him, I steered into the curb.
Aw, shucks!
how it went down–literally. Granddad
Homer had just presented me with my first bicycle, complete with training
wheels. I was eight years old and ready
for the next leap in mode of transportation beyond relying solely on the soles
of my feet. So, I joined a couple of older
boys who were riding their bikes in the street in front of my house. Not yet comfortable with the dynamics of bike
riding, I suddenly found my path cut off by one of the other boys and, rather
than collide with him, I steered into the curb.
Aw, shucks!
Upon
impact, I was thrown off my bike headfirst into a flood-control ditch four feet
below the street surface. Aw,
shucks! My forehead collided with a
piece of broken concrete. Aw,
shucks! I will never forget the odd
feeling I had after taking a blow to the head–not so much pain, as a feeling
of stupor or disconnectedness. I was
bleeding and my parents took me to a doctor.
I was expecting to get stitched but instead the doc used metal staples
to hold my wound shut. Aw, shucks! He also gave me a tetanus shot. This resulted in the second-worst “Aw,
shucks!” of that star-crossed
summer.
impact, I was thrown off my bike headfirst into a flood-control ditch four feet
below the street surface. Aw,
shucks! My forehead collided with a
piece of broken concrete. Aw,
shucks! I will never forget the odd
feeling I had after taking a blow to the head–not so much pain, as a feeling
of stupor or disconnectedness. I was
bleeding and my parents took me to a doctor.
I was expecting to get stitched but instead the doc used metal staples
to hold my wound shut. Aw, shucks! He also gave me a tetanus shot. This resulted in the second-worst “Aw,
shucks!” of that star-crossed
summer.
The
next day, my family embarked upon their annual vacation trek to the mountains
of Colorado. That first night in the
cabin, I started to feel really crappy.
I was nauseous and feverish and couldn’t sleep. Neither could my parents or grandfather. Turns out that I was having an allergic
reaction to the tetanus shot, which was derived from a serum made from
horses. Aw, shucks! Our vacation was cut short and we headed
home. Aw, shucks! To this day, I always think of this story
when I’m asked by a medical professional if I have any allergies to
medications, even though horses as the source of vaccine against tetanus has
long been abandoned. For which, I’m sure
horses everywhere are grateful.
next day, my family embarked upon their annual vacation trek to the mountains
of Colorado. That first night in the
cabin, I started to feel really crappy.
I was nauseous and feverish and couldn’t sleep. Neither could my parents or grandfather. Turns out that I was having an allergic
reaction to the tetanus shot, which was derived from a serum made from
horses. Aw, shucks! Our vacation was cut short and we headed
home. Aw, shucks! To this day, I always think of this story
when I’m asked by a medical professional if I have any allergies to
medications, even though horses as the source of vaccine against tetanus has
long been abandoned. For which, I’m sure
horses everywhere are grateful.
© 6 April 2015
About
the Author
the Author
I came to
the beautiful state of Colorado out of my native Kansas by way of Michigan, the
state where I married and I came to the beautiful state of Colorado out of my
native Kansas by way of Michigan, the state where I married and had two
children while working as an engineer for the Ford Motor Company. I was married
to a wonderful woman for 26 happy years and suddenly realized that life was
passing me by. I figured that I should make a change, as our offspring were
basically on their own and I wasn’t getting any younger. Luckily, a very
attractive and personable man just happened to be crossing my path at that
time, so the change-over was both fortuitous and smooth.
the beautiful state of Colorado out of my native Kansas by way of Michigan, the
state where I married and I came to the beautiful state of Colorado out of my
native Kansas by way of Michigan, the state where I married and had two
children while working as an engineer for the Ford Motor Company. I was married
to a wonderful woman for 26 happy years and suddenly realized that life was
passing me by. I figured that I should make a change, as our offspring were
basically on their own and I wasn’t getting any younger. Luckily, a very
attractive and personable man just happened to be crossing my path at that
time, so the change-over was both fortuitous and smooth.
Soon after,
I retired and we moved to Denver, my husband’s home town. He passed away after
13 blissful years together in October of 2012. I am left to find a new path to
fulfillment. One possibility is through writing. Thank goodness, the SAGE
Creative Writing Group was there to light the way.
I retired and we moved to Denver, my husband’s home town. He passed away after
13 blissful years together in October of 2012. I am left to find a new path to
fulfillment. One possibility is through writing. Thank goodness, the SAGE
Creative Writing Group was there to light the way.