Monday, February 11, 2008

Put Your Head Down and Slide

When we first moved here we had only one car. Jim was in the AFIT program so he was in school full time. We also had a handicapped daughter who was in an early intervention pre-school program and needed transportation so I really needed the car. Jim solved that problem by riding his bike to work/school. I wish I had a picture of the things he did to prepare his bike, and himself. He had a basket for carrying his books, etc., and he also put a slow-moving-vehicle sign on the back of his bike. You’ve seen them—the big red triangle on the back of tractors, etc. You could definitely see him coming—or going as the case may be.

This was in the days before bicycle helmets, so he wore a motorcycle helmet. (I’m glad he did, as you will see later.) The helmet was to protect his head in case of accidents, but it was also handy for keeping the rain out of his eyes, and sleet off his cheeks. Get the picture? He rode all during the year—in all kinds of weather. He dressed in layers, and showered when he got to work/school. One day when the weather was especially bad—it was snowing and sleeting at the same time I believe, a car passed him. As it was passing the guy cranked down his window and yelled “you’ve got to be crazy!” Jim chuckled as he was telling me the story, because he thought the guy was a little nutty for rolling down his window in that kind of weather.

Well one day when he came home Jim didn’t look so good. He was smiling, but the shoulder on his jacket was torn up and ragged, his sleeve was filthy, his pants on that side were scraped, and his helmet was scratched up. I couldn’t imagine what had happened.

At that time it was still cold outside, but most of the snow was gone and the streets were clear. He went around a corner (and I’ve seen him take those corners—he doesn’t mess around) and met with sudden disaster. At the intersection there was a slight dip all across the road where some water had accumulated and then frozen. He hit that frozen strip, the bike slipped to the side, and BAM down he went. The really embarrassing thing is that there was a school bus full of kids (probably every one of them an excellent bike rider) stopped at the corner. He thought “Oh no!” But there wasn’t anything he could do at that point, so he just leaned the side of his helmeted head down on the pavement and slid until he stopped. By putting his head down like that he took most of the pressure off his shoulder and arm. We retired what was left of the jacket at that point, but if I remember right, he didn’t have a scratch on him. His pride was hurt worse than anything else.

So sometimes those things happen—times where we have to put our pride aside, go with the flow and just do what needs to be done.

The first time I used a wheelchair was like that for me. We went to the Columbus Temple open house. I knew that walking the whole way would be hard enough that I probably wouldn’t enjoy it very much, so I elected to use a chair. Once I got in the chair it felt SO weird. I felt like everyone was staring at me and I wanted to sink into the nearest hole. However, outside of that I was able to go through the whole open house and enjoy myself and not be totally worn out.

How about you? Have you had any times when you just had to put your head down and slide? Any that you could care to share?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember hearing this story before, thanks for the details.

I actually remember a time before that when you used a wheel chair--I was probably 13, and we had Regional Conference in Columbus. President Monson was the speaker, and because you were in a wheelchair, you and I (and maybe someone else, but it was at least the two of us) got to sit in the third row. I was glad you were in a wheel chair that day, because we would have been up in the nosebleeds otherwise. I think the rest of the family was pretty close as well, if we weren't all on row 3. That turned out to be a blessing.

Kathey said...

Hi Barb,

Now that you mention that I do remember. I think we all got to sit together. That really was a blessing. Thanks for the reminder.

Was that the time that Ray was with us and we got separated from him when the elevator door closed and left him out? That was a bit scary until we retrieved him. That may have been another time when we went to the same conference center, but I don't remember for sure.

Helena said...

Hmmm, yeah, the time I accidentally went into the men's restroom at the bus terminal in Puyo. That was definitely a head-down moment.

I remember when we got the wheelchair out in the parking lot at the Bean Museum at BYU, and you sat down in it and it started rolling away (slowly), and you didn't realize that no one was pushing it. And we were just standing there going "Mom!"

Sepp said...

Literally down a glacier one time. I tried to go where I was not supposed to go and away I went with my brothers watching. The ride was far from smooth and very humiliating, but a good lesson to be learned in many respects. I enjoyed the story.

Unknown said...

One time I had to swallow my pride- just had a baby at home with paramedics, and all the rescue personal had to come up to see him. 2 paramedics, 4 firefighters, 1 driver in my bedroom.

They were so pleased though. Usually their calls are for sad things, and this was a happy one for them.