Saturday, April 05, 2008

NINE LIVES...



I haven't been around here much the past week. Well, the truth is that at some point I fell into a deep, dark hole that was tricky to get out of. Funny, when you are in that hole, your only options really are to cry for help, or to pull yourself out somehow.

You think I am speaking metaphorically, but no, I actually fell into an actual hole. More specifically the top step leading down from my terrace collapsed under me. (Afterwards I discovered that a rusty nail had been the only thing holding it up for the past six years.) There I was, doing a bit of terrace gardening, carrying a terracotta pot down to empty out. I put my foot on the step and the next thing I knew I was eight feet below, under the steps in the bit where there's spider webs and creepy crawlies and dead things. The pot was broken at the bottom of the steps. It's funny what your reactions are at moments like those. I quietly said "shit" to myself and noted the absence of searing pain that would indicate anything was broken. No one appeared except for my cat and next door's cat, who both looked very concerned. Oh, but then the bawling came and that was a little embarrassing. So I somehow clambered up the inside of the steps and dragged myself inside to bawl like a child in private. It was just the shock.

And that's the amazing thing. Apart from some pretty hardcore bruises and scrapes I am relatively unscathed. I am totally fine - didn't so much as get a cobweb on me. The heavy fabric of my trusty sailor trousers didn't even rip and protected me from too much bleeding. When I look at the hole with the big rusty nail sticking out and the broken step, it doesn't look big enough for me to fit through. I think of what could have happened. Cracked open chin, skull, broken leg or foot or nose or both arms. Lung, artery punctured by rusty nail.

I am the kind of person who avoids sport in case I injure myself, but now that seems a little ridiculous. I feel so lucky and a little more fearless. Weird, I know but true. It was all very Alice in Wonderland but really more like falling into a small well. A well with steps, luckily.

*I think I might need a new category for accidents, illness, broken bones etc. Honestly I am not that accident prone, I just like showing people my bruises, recounting how extremely brave I was etc...

{pic by me - nothing to do with anything except it's still a bit early for peonies here. I'm craving them.}

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

glad to know you are ok!!!!!!

RD said...

So sorry to hear this! I don't know what is worse an emotional black hole or a physical one -- no I'm sure, the physical one. Stay light! xoxo BB

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!!! glad you're ok....must had been very scary.

la femme said...

Oh no, that's terrible! Glad you're feeling better.

I'm craving peonies too. It'll take a while yet for them to pop up in Canada.

Anonymous said...

Oh my god!! What a horrible shock it must have been. Totally sympathize with the bawling thing, there is nothing more scary than being in a upright position, and a split second later being hurled in a dark hole, many feet below. Reminds me when I tripped on a step and banged my face on the radiator last year. No dark holes though, but a horrible, horrible feeling nonetheless...
So glad you're not seriously hurt!!
Much love,
Mia

Style On Track said...

Oh you poor dear, that sounds insane and very very painful. Its not nice to get these random shocks in life. Glad to hear you are ok though :)

Siru said...

Oh my, hard to believe that thigs like that happen to real live people, but clearly it does.
Great that you're allright.

juliet xxx

Chocolate and Steel said...

Holy smokes that sounds scary! You speak about it so bravely. I'm impressed. I know you said you cried but you still seem very brave to me. I'm glad you are ok.

Cellar Door said...

It must have been horrible for that split second when you were falling, when you didn't know where the bottom was. I fell through a hole in a pub floor once, it was the trap door to the beer cellar and for some reason it was located in the girl's toilet and left open. Luckily I managed to grab on on my way through with one arm and one leg. I was a bit drunk...

Anonymous said...

holy crap!! that's so scary!! glad you're ok... xx

Claire said...

thanks all of you, I'm really fine...when I wrote this post I meant for it to be funny, like, I fell in a hole haha, but it didn't really come out that way!

margaret said...

oh goodness, hope you are feeling alright.

travel notes said...

Crumbs - hope you're ok! xx

F.Y said...

ouch! hope ur okay,thank god was a step with holes!

Anonymous said...

Glad you're ok. I've just discovered your blog and adore it!

Stephanie said...

Yikes! Well, at least you're OK. Sometimes it seems easier to fall down a literal hole than a figurative one, at least there's a definitive solution in sight, and if you're lucky (as you were) you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, have a bit of a cry and move on with your Fabulous London Life. Glad you're ne worse for the wear.

Lindsay said...

Oh no! What a horrible experience (but in a laugh about it later sort of a way). Glad you are ok and not seriously hurt.

Maryam in Marrakesh said...

Phew:)
PS I adore that shot. I can't get my camera to do close ups. sigh.

Anonymous said...

None of us will ever forget the dark time when you fell into your hole. (No, but seriously, so glad you're okay!) xx, Elisabeth (Coquette)

The Spicers said...

Ouch!
Glad you survived...

Claire said...

...So then I got run over by a bus...not really. Thank you SO much for all your sweet condolences. I'm ok now, just some rainbow bruises to watch change colour...xx