It was a situation that could have gone in any direction. But it didn’t.
It was all downhill, and it was no one’s fault other than his own.
He could have argued it was because of the rain and he was unprepared. After all, it hadn’t rained for six months, everything was dead, and the rain when it came was something of a novelty and as such, his guard was down.
Also, he wore his new sandals which were not accustomed to the wet. The driveway was steep, exposed pebbles, running with the rain that had been falling all morning. New shoes, his mind on the drive he was about to take, the airport to collect his brother, he didn’t think of danger.
When it happened, it was all over in a second or two.
Down he went, his feet slipping out from beneath him, his hips hit the driveway, his elbow landed in such a position he was hoping would prevent his head from hitting the pavement.
He prayed his head would be safe as he knew head injuries can be problematic, and so he felt his neck snap back, lifting his head away from danger.
Instantaneously he heard his companion come rushing to his side. Urging him not to move, for fear he had done himself something serious.
A quick observation and he claimed to be ok. She helped him to his feet and sat him in the front of the car while she went to get bandages and antiseptic ointment.
When asked where it hurt he made the claim, his ego had suffered the worst injury. A few band-aids later, he was patched up.
There was the usual shaking following the fall, but he felt ok, and she was happy to go with him to the airport.
Later, when he was home, he discovered his hip/glute area was particularly sore, and his movements were very ginger. It was then he realized he had done damage to his hand. Painful as it was, he concluded it only hurt when he moved.
The next morning, he found some residual shock which prevented him from starting his day as normal, so it was back to bed to sleep it off.
As I stated at the start, it could have gone in any direction, but the one it did go in was painful enough, but there was always the thought it could have been worse.
Written for: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/reenas-exploration-challenge-118/
Morpethroad 
These things happen in a flash, leaving us hurting and sore for days/ weeks.
Yes I know.
👍
Oh, how I sympathise with him. I’ve developed quite a trick of negotiating steep hills on my back. So far, only bruises.
Well that’s good for you. I’m managing with bruises also to my ego 😀
Oh, you mean this happened to you?
Sadly yes ☹️
My sympathies. But your neck wasn’t broken. I mean… that would be fatal… wouldn’t it?
Probably as landing on my head, the echo may have killed me…..lol
I think my head has been saved by the backpack… it has its uses.
Hope you are getting better, Michael! I did get a feel while reading that only someone who has been through it can describe a fall so accurately.
I like that piece about the ego taking the highest battering. Keep busy with writing meanwhile.
Thanks Reena I can only get better. Thank goodness there is plenty of cricket to watch tonight.
Enjoy the ‘off days’! 🙂
Reblogged this on Reena Saxena and commented:
Down, but not out …. by Michael
Yes, it could have been… I wish you fast recovery. So true about ego.
Reminds me of when I fell off the scooter onto cement. That night I had to visit the ER for broken hip bone. It seemed okay, just sore after the fall. I was more concerned about my elbow which still bothers me, five years later😳😄 The worst part was I was given an injection in the ERbfor pain which I ended up allergic to, went into anaphylactic shock and spent ten days in hospital and a following week in rehab.
Sent from my iPad
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When these things happen your first thought is, “Please not let anything be broken.” I was lucky.
So that was you? Yes, lucky🥰
Wish you a speedy recovery, Michael. 🙂
Thanks Kitty
Welcome, Michael. 🙂