Well, everyone in my house seems to be sleeping in this morning, so I thought I would catch up on some of my writing...
As I was "walking" to my computer room, I stubbed my left toe as one with drop foot does, and it made me start to wonder when the last time I "didn't" have a reason for tripping.
As with my first childhood memory - the memory of my first "trip" is vivid and blurred at the same time. I was doing my last minute run for a flight to Norway, and was going up the escalator from the parking garage to the ticketing level at Brussels' Zaventem Airport. I was wearing my overcoat, and was dressed in my typical uniform - a suit, tie, lightly starched shirt and cuff links, completed with my brief case and overnight bag - and when I reached the very top and started to step off, I went down without any warning, hard.
Fortunately, I didn't take anybody down with me - and I recovered doing the old Pee Wee Herman routine - popping up with the "I meant to do that!" look on my face. Though I absolutely remember the confusion I felt- and wondering why did that happen???
That was the first time in my life I can actually remember falling without a reason or blaming myself for not paying attention to some obstacle in my path. I was truly dumbfounded on why I fell - and more than a little surprised when I did (Pee Wee Herman reaction aside...). While I walked to passport control, I kept thinking about how it must be my new shoes, or my distraction caused by thinking about the pending meeting in Oslo - though I had no an
swers at that time, in my heart of hearts, I didn't think it was an innocent little trip.
I had started to notice how my left foot would drag after working out or walking 18 holes on the golf course - and I wondered if this was connected to my constant need to go to the bathroom. Was there something really wrong... or was I being silly because I fell and I don't do that?
Well, within about 6 months of this happening, I almost fell in our kitchen from stubbing my toe after going for a short 1 mile run. My wife looked at me and said that enough is enough, we're going to the doctor! I had no more excuses to hide behind - like I'm getting older, out of shape, or not looking where I'm going. I knew it wasn't right and something was wrong...
As I was "walking" to my computer room, I stubbed my left toe as one with drop foot does, and it made me start to wonder when the last time I "didn't" have a reason for tripping.
As with my first childhood memory - the memory of my first "trip" is vivid and blurred at the same time. I was doing my last minute run for a flight to Norway, and was going up the escalator from the parking garage to the ticketing level at Brussels' Zaventem Airport. I was wearing my overcoat, and was dressed in my typical uniform - a suit, tie, lightly starched shirt and cuff links, completed with my brief case and overnight bag - and when I reached the very top and started to step off, I went down without any warning, hard.
Fortunately, I didn't take anybody down with me - and I recovered doing the old Pee Wee Herman routine - popping up with the "I meant to do that!" look on my face. Though I absolutely remember the confusion I felt- and wondering why did that happen???
That was the first time in my life I can actually remember falling without a reason or blaming myself for not paying attention to some obstacle in my path. I was truly dumbfounded on why I fell - and more than a little surprised when I did (Pee Wee Herman reaction aside...). While I walked to passport control, I kept thinking about how it must be my new shoes, or my distraction caused by thinking about the pending meeting in Oslo - though I had no an
swers at that time, in my heart of hearts, I didn't think it was an innocent little trip.I had started to notice how my left foot would drag after working out or walking 18 holes on the golf course - and I wondered if this was connected to my constant need to go to the bathroom. Was there something really wrong... or was I being silly because I fell and I don't do that?
Well, within about 6 months of this happening, I almost fell in our kitchen from stubbing my toe after going for a short 1 mile run. My wife looked at me and said that enough is enough, we're going to the doctor! I had no more excuses to hide behind - like I'm getting older, out of shape, or not looking where I'm going. I knew it wasn't right and something was wrong...
When I stubbed my toe this morning, I didn't get confused or wonder about my shoes.
Taking A Trip by Nick Marazita is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
