Friday morning! The start of a perennial event, Spring Fever Days, over in Emu, home of some really strange birds. I was excited. The WRRD Lions Club was unveiling its Pontoon Boat Raffle Prize and Telford and I were in charge of the kickoff of ticket sales. We were set up in the Nestor Falls Marine and Sport display in the Emo Arena.
Having spent too much time at the Bakery in Rainy River taking on my necessary input of toast and coffee I was well revved up on caffeine and hurried in thru the front door down through the gloom by the dressing rooms and out the door to the ice surface via the players box. I was carrying the base for our display flags held well out in front of me. I hurried through the door lifting my foot a good three inches to clear the threshold. The threshold however was six inches.
“BLAM!” There I was kissing the floor with my kisser, nose and forehead. Fortunately the rubber floor mat that protected the skaters blades gave me a more gentle tap than the concrete of the ice surface floor would have meted out. Also between my head and the floor was the flag stand base. Still it was not a cushy landing. Stunned including a few bad words would be a more apt description. Can you say ‘pole-axed’?
I staggered out to our display with my stuff, unloaded, set-up, and took a break to inspect my injuries.
A quick look in the mirror showed a bit of blood, some assorted scuffs and a perfect circle about an inch across, right in the middle of my forehead. It was bright pink and would undoubtedly morph into a beautiful bruise in short order. It would be a badge of honour but definitely not a beauty mark.
My first potential customer sidled up to the ticket table.
“That looks awful! What happened to you?”, the lady asked as I proffered a pen,and a book of tickets, “Just a little bump. Tickets are only $20 each,” I offered dabbing at my wound with a piece of paper towel.
“You should get a CAT scan. It might be serious!” I was advised.
“Naw, I’m ‘lergic to cats,” I quipped as I pocketed the $20 and thanked the customer for her concern and supporting the Lions Club.
The pace of ticket sales picked up as boating enthusiasts drooled over the Club’s shiny Pontoon Boat and each dreamt about cruising one of our beautiful lakes come summertime. Inspection of my stunning wound piqued curiosity as I explained, repeatedly, the accident circumstances.
“No!,Neither Pickle or Ziggy gave me a tune up! I fell”, I insisted.
It was then I noticed two paramedics, decked out in reflective equipment festooned with various
emergency medical looking gadgets, hurrying across the arena towards me.
“We heard downtown you had a serious accident. We’re here to check you out. We’ll bring in stretcher, fit you with a neck brace, put you in the ambulance and take you to Fat Frantic for a CAT scan! Lights and sirens all the way! Should have you there in 10-15 minutes,” they offered excitedly.
“Yeah I thought we were gonna have a boring day!’ added his partner reaching to steady me as he
peered into my eyes to see if my pupils were dilating.
“Hey guys, I’m fine. It was just a little bump,” I countered as I passed a book of tickets to an onlooker with the comment of “Only twenty bucks each and naw, it doesn’t hurt too much” and pocketed the proffered cash.
“Sir, we’ll just run a concussion assessment protocol on you to be sure. How many fingers do you see?” queried Paramedic # 1 hiding his hand behind his back.
“Head ache? Dizzy? Nausea?” asked Paramedic # 2 as another customer pushed through the crowd and held out his twenty for a ticket. I thanked him.
It hit me then my little accident had stirred up enough of a commotion that a bit of a crowd was being drawn to the action. “Strike while the iron’s hot!”
“We’d better stick around for a while to make sure you’re okay,” observed Paramedic #1 with Paramedic # 2 nodding his head in agreement.
“Sounds like a good idea,” agreeing and extending a couple of books I asked, “Wanna buy a ticket?”
