Tomorrow evening, for the first time in some 30 years, I am going to see my college roommate.
Okay, not really my roommate…my suite mate [waiting patiently while everyone snickers about how ‘suite’ sounds like ‘sweet’]. My roommate and I in one room, KC in the attached single room of the suite. We were college buddies, though not (obviously, if I’m seeing him for the first time in 30 years) best of friends.
KC tracked me down (how, I’m not sure, but my warning lights are lit up) and invited me to his relatively nearby Mom’s house one of the days he was visiting her. That day is tomorrow. I’ll meet his family and, of course, catch up with him.
One event from back then will be a certain topic of discussion.
Being stupid rambunctious college boys, we would often rough house when we were avoiding taking a break from our studying. We often had impromptu wrestling matches… the real kind with college dormitory rules, not the television kind – –
loving hugs, i'm sure
One night, KC came charging into our room and interrupted our pretending to diligent studying. I was closest to the room to his door, so I was the first target.
Now, KC outweighed me by some 30 to 40 pounds* back then. He soon had the better of me and had me pinned to the floor. I was face down with him applying his significant weight on me to try and get me to say, “Uncle!”
But, I was not one to give up so easily. While KC was bracing himself with his feet and weight to prevent my escape, I used the leverage of my arms to push up and over. Yeah, I used to be a strong kid.
Well…it worked. Too well. As I lifted up and over, KC went up and over as well. Except his foot did not.
Now, remember all those extra pounds? They provide a lot of pressure and torque that bones don’t usually handle well.
Yep.
KC yelled out in pain and lay there writhing (“I WIN!!”). Then I noticed that, while his leg was straight, his foot was cockeyed the wrong way.
I was a boy scout. I took their first aid training. I remember them saying, “In the event of a broken limb, do not attempt to move that limb until it is stabilized.”
Me? I said to myself, “That doesn’t look right. Here, let me fix it.”
Whoops.
A nice radial fracture just above the ankle.
And I get to see him again tomorrow.
And his Mom is feeding me dinner.
I think I need a ‘food taster’.
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*That’d be 14 to 18 kg. Or 2 to 3 stone. Or 20 to 25 Japanese kinn. or…. okay, I’m done.
The Wilds of Ohio 