Gee, Nick, if what you just described happen stateside, you would
have a dozen lawyers lining up to file the lawsuit in your behalf,
and they would be justified. America is infamous for its inane
lawsuits but your situation, being thrown out of a restaurant after
a fall, just on the assumption that you were drunk, with no attempt
to discover the reason for your fall, resulting in bodily injury...
that kind of behavior demands legal recourse if for no other reason
than to teach people good manners. What is going on over there?
Tom Davenport
On Apr 14, 2006, at 4:21 PM, Niclas Runarsson wrote:
Stumble - sprain - painful tying... it seems to be my path.
A couple of days before I was going to tie at Sowbug, I stumbled
by the White River and made a not so smooth touch-down.
<"SSCRTSS!!">, said my wrist and suddenly everything wasn't 100%
wonderful anymore. My focus changed from fish and flies to bandages
and ice-packs. Tying at Sowbug was awesome, but not very pleasant.
After returning home, I had a new job waiting and it cut down
much of my tying. My meds make me really tired and without that
hour of sleep after getting home (loud juvenile reason), I have no
energy left to do anything in the evening either. Now though...
Easter... FOUR DAYS OFF WORK!!!!!! This was going to be a tying
holiday for sure.
But yesterday afternoon it was time for the next stumble. On my
way home from work, I stopped at a pizzeria to borrow a phone book
and stumbled in the door. I wasn't drunk, but the employees there
didn't even give me the benefit of a doubt when they saw my
horizontal entrance. Two big guys came, grabbed me under the arms
and threw me out again. The door is a couple of steps higher than
the pavement and I had no chance to make a controlled landing on
one foot... <"SSCRTSS!!">... that noise again as my ankle gave in.
Today, my foot is far out of proportions, the entire outside of
it is purple... and my tying weekend is ruined. The second I sit
up, the blood goes straight down to my foot and a minute later it
feels like it's about to detonate. This is even worse, since it's
nothing wrong with my hands but I still can't tie.
Following isn't really tying-related, but I want to share it anyway:
Even though my foot hurts bad, I can still smile as I think back
on yesterday. I got to see some true kindness. As I was lying there
on the pavement 7 or 8 people just passed by without saying a word.
Then came an old man with a cane, hardly able to walk himself and
helped me up. The guy was fighting like it had been his mission in
life to help me and after a good bit of work, we reached a bench
where we could sit down and take a breath. I had my aimpoint on the
restaurant on the other side of the road, so I could use a phone to
call for a taxi. I'm talking short distance, but it must have taken
us at least 15 minutes to get there. I wanted to give him something
for helping me but he said no. I nagged a bit and finally he said
"maybe a pizza". It turned out he was homeless... hadn't eaten in 2
days. I bought him a pizza... and after a bit of work I also made
him accept $30... enough for another 4-5 meals. We sat there
talking for quite a while, then I called for a cab and he helped me
outside. He left when the driver took over, but as I was getting
into the car he suddenly returned. He put his hand on my
shoulder....... gave me my wallet and told me I had dropped it...
and then he was gone again.
How 'bout that? Hardly able to walk himself but fights for his
life to practically carry me. Then standing in the restaurant with
people eating around him, and me wanting to give him something...
with a screaming stomach he actually says no... three times. The
expression on his face when he ate is something I won't forget. It
looked like he hadn't eaten for a year. But still he had to be
worked REAL hard to accept money for more. Then, finally: Standing
"home free" with my wallet in his hand, having seen that what was
there would feed him for at least 2 weeks... he rushes back to give
it to me.
How often do you meet total strangers being this kind these days?
/Nick
