No, I did not run into a Polish friend on the street. I literally ran into a pole, a steel telephone pole to be exact. And, considering it has been a week and I still have a severe headache, a lump on my left temple, and a bruise on my right knee, I figured it was worth telling the quick story:
Last Sunday, like most Sundays in my prior San Francisco life, I headed over to my friends, the Hardings' house to watch football and celebrate Sunday Funday. This time around Sunday Funday included mimosas, donuts, fried chicken, biscuits and meatballs (although the meatballs weren't served until much later - at 2pm) along with the mandatory beer and shots of Zwack, the Hungarian liquor that is best described as Jaeger with a dirt after taste.
After arriving at 11am and watching the two playoff games, I left their place at 7pm happy, slightly intoxicated and having thoroughly enjoyed myself…it was the first time I had really had a chance to catch up with my favorite married couple since moving back. I was so happy I practically skipped down the street trying to hail a cab. And with my ability to find cabs when none exist, I proceeded down the street, walking backwards, with my arm raised high and with the confidence of someone who owns the city….and then I turned to walk down to the next corner. Unfortunately for me, my city sense failed me and I turned directly into a pole. To clarify, I didn’t just turn, I rotated in a half run, half leap, head first into a steel telephone pole. And my momentum was so great that even after initial contact, my body continued the rotation resulting in a left temple, right knee combo.
I ricocheted off the pole, tried to figure out what attacked me, all the while slightly rocking back and forth, shaking my head, trying to come back to my senses. I pulled myself together enough to subsequently hail a cab, remember my address and finally get home, however once at home it took me an additional 3 hours to begin to feel somewhat back to normal. And when 11pm rolled around I realized that my fear of falling asleep with a potential concussion wasn’t enough to keep me from my bed – I was exhausted and in pain.
A full week later, I can still feel the pain of initial contact and can now think I know what it is like to get into a fight with a stationery object…a fight I clearly lost.
Last Sunday, like most Sundays in my prior San Francisco life, I headed over to my friends, the Hardings' house to watch football and celebrate Sunday Funday. This time around Sunday Funday included mimosas, donuts, fried chicken, biscuits and meatballs (although the meatballs weren't served until much later - at 2pm) along with the mandatory beer and shots of Zwack, the Hungarian liquor that is best described as Jaeger with a dirt after taste.
After arriving at 11am and watching the two playoff games, I left their place at 7pm happy, slightly intoxicated and having thoroughly enjoyed myself…it was the first time I had really had a chance to catch up with my favorite married couple since moving back. I was so happy I practically skipped down the street trying to hail a cab. And with my ability to find cabs when none exist, I proceeded down the street, walking backwards, with my arm raised high and with the confidence of someone who owns the city….and then I turned to walk down to the next corner. Unfortunately for me, my city sense failed me and I turned directly into a pole. To clarify, I didn’t just turn, I rotated in a half run, half leap, head first into a steel telephone pole. And my momentum was so great that even after initial contact, my body continued the rotation resulting in a left temple, right knee combo.
I ricocheted off the pole, tried to figure out what attacked me, all the while slightly rocking back and forth, shaking my head, trying to come back to my senses. I pulled myself together enough to subsequently hail a cab, remember my address and finally get home, however once at home it took me an additional 3 hours to begin to feel somewhat back to normal. And when 11pm rolled around I realized that my fear of falling asleep with a potential concussion wasn’t enough to keep me from my bed – I was exhausted and in pain.
A full week later, I can still feel the pain of initial contact and can now think I know what it is like to get into a fight with a stationery object…a fight I clearly lost.
4 comments:
Anna did this when she was a kid. She was walking backwards in turned around and ran smack into a light pole. Funny thing was that the pole rang like a bell! You'll have to ask her about this.
-Carrie - Anna Mark's sis
There have been many occasions when reading your blog that I have wished for more photos...this is one of those times! Hope you're feeling better.
You crack me up Lees! Seriously HILARIOUS! We now have another thing in common! I hope you are feeing better. What did they say at work about your war wounds, the next morning?
Ouch Lisa that hurts, just reading it!! I hope by now you are all recovered and not making friends with any other poles out there!
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