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Monday, June 04, 2007

My Back Is Killing Me

On Memorial Day, I was carrying Lydia's not-so-little red wagon down the back step of the house. I stepped down on what should have been the penultimate step and ended up on my back, the wagon on top of me. I discovered that step was lower on the left side by about an inch and a quarter than it was on the right.

You might think 1.25 inches isn't much, but when you can't actually SEE the steps, it's like a chasm. Falling down these stairs, at least in this case, is somewhat like sliding into second base. One starts vertically, and ends up horizontal. The difference is intentionality; I didn't plan to land on my backside carrying the wagon. (Also, no one in Major League Baseball seems to slide feet first anymore.)

Immediately after the fall, I thought, "I need to sue the landlord." Then I had that annoying realization: I AM the landlord. When you've lived in housing owned by others for the vast majority of your life, home ownership, even after eight years, is still a bit of a foreign concept.

The house I grew up in was owned by my maternal grandmother, which, as I think back on it, may have contributed to the tension between her and my father. My parents didn't buy their own place until shortly after I went to college.

So, I've been a renter most of my life. This means I've moved a number of times, some number north of 20, maybe as many as 30; I forget. Given the fact that I didn't move from the time I was six months old until I went to college, that meant about once a year in my adulthood prior to being a homeowner. Since I stayed some places longer than a year, other places were much shorter. 1977, e.g., I was in Charlotte, NYC and New Paltz. In 1978, I was at three different addresses in Schenectady, four if you count the four days I spent at one location.

But the rate of change has slowed, I spent 4.5 years in one apartment before I got married. One year in the house Carol bought before we met, and now seven years here.

The downside of moving so often are that it's harder to peg time. "Oh, that happened when I was living on Madison Avenue; must have been '82 or '83." the other downside is that the ability for stuff to clutter up certain rooms is so much easier. But I'll deal.

Oh, and the back is still sore, as is my left knee, which I seem to have hyperextended. I say "seem" because I haven't gone to the doctor, yet. I will if it isn't better soon.
***
And speaking of stuff, we have an overstuffed chair and a pull-out sofa bed that we've been trying to get rid of (i.e., give away if someone would just haul it off) for weeks. The chair's going on the curb this week, the sofa next. The street entrepreneurs, I hope, will pick them up before they end up in the landfill. I've tired of having two stuffed chairs and two sofas in the living room.
***
Things I like about June: music on PBS. Alison Krauss live and also a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald on Wednesday. Later in the month, the Gershwin Award to Paul Simon, with a whole bunch of folks singing Simon songs.

ROG

13 comments:

EM said...

Rog--

Isn't there a charity around you guys that'll pick your stuff up for their use?

Oh yeah. I posted today. You can leave me alone.

Roger Owen Green said...

Eddie - Yes, there are several were contacted. One went out of business. Two or three are having transportation problems.

"I posted today." Thank goodness! Hey, I only nagged you once a month.

Anonymous said...

Reiki on the way.

Anonymous said...

Yikes. Hope you're feeling alright. Hurry up and heal, ok?

xox

O.

p.s. Just so you know, your little girl is frighteningly cute.

Anonymous said...

Poor Roger...So sorry to hear about this . You going to be OK eventually or sooner rather than later.
Sending healing thoughts to you, my friend.
there are ways to carry a wagon, just ask me. Next time, hold the hand rail!!
Alice

Anonymous said...

Sorry about a pain in the neck….not fun. Hope it goes away fast!

Edwin Oliver said...

I can take the couch and stuffed chair off your hands if you haven't already put them out on the curb!... I'll take a stuffed chair from a stuffed shirt any day... Or even from a retro chic porkpie hat-wearin' dude.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your fall Roger. I can sympathize. About three or four weeks ago I also had an accident. I hurt my leg to the extent there was internal bleeding, a hematoma. The doctor said the only thing to do was wait and let time heal it. It is only now feeling normal. I was limping around the first few days, couldn't bend my leg much but it's fine now. Take care, I hope you feel better soon.

s

Anonymous said...

Ouch! It figures that the Harpsichord didn't do you in. The Secretary didn't do you in. The microwave...
Raising children can be dangerous. Heal quickly.

Anonymous said...

Roger,

OUCH! And dangerous -- falls like that can be bad. I hope you are healing ok.

Cute pictures as usual. But every time I see that clock I think I need to get back to work! :)

(Actually I love the clock. A great thing to have --- I wish I could put it on my computer desktop rather than a web page.)

Say hi to Carol for me...

Anonymous said...

Oh Roger I am so sorry, I know how much fun it is to take a fall. I fell not to long ago while rushing up shopping and then going to a bus stop, It was not nice. I thought that I was going to hit my head on this near by pole.
Such is life.
You are in my thoughts everyday.
meg

Anonymous said...

In the words of my daughter.."oh...poor you" !

Hope you heal quickly. POP

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