Mexico Night Adventure, No Fatalities
Leaving that swinging small
coffee house art opening of a friend
with the party still roaring
behind me,
I shift to uneven cobblestones
to avoid the nightly
taco stand set up on the sidewalk,
knowing I must be careful,
but pitching forward anyway,
face-down in the dark street.
Seconds later,
still in thrall to the fall,
thwacked shoulder,
scraped palms.
As I lie in the street,
a crowd gathers
like otters to survey
this new intruder to their world.
I can’t stand up.
Lie groaning in the dark.
They offer twenty hands to help me up,
but I need to lie a spectacle in the street.
Should they call an ambulance?
Can I not rise?
They ward off cars, enfolding me
in their curious and protective circle.
No way with any amount of help
can I push myself up from the street
on this pounding knee.
I become their Saturday night
entertainment.
At last, unable to bear the shock
of pressure on any part of either leg,
I scoot myself over on my bottom to the curb,
hoist myself up to sit on it,
and from there
my right leg can get contact with the street to push.
Two hands help me up and go around me
as I hobble the half block to my car.
Yes, I can drive.
But everything hurts.
“Muy Amable, Senor, y muchas gracias.”
At home, a straight-legged hobble down the stairs.
Neosporin on the skinned and swollen knee,
Rum and Coke, Advil, Reumofan
in that order.
Arnica and Peyote gel rubbed in sore parts.
The safety and warmth of bed.
and eight hours respite
until that long climb up the stairs
to the last day of my own art exhibition.
It is hard getting old in any country,
but in Mexico,
cobblestones furnish
their own private Hell
that all gringos fall to,
sooner or later.
(The prompt was to tell about the last time someone was proud of you, but It’s hard to be proud in the dark on cobblestones in Mexico.)
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
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Loved the story. Hope -if it all true- you are well. Even our worldly paradises have the loosened pits.
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Poor you, but you told it so well I could picture the whole sequence of events 🙂
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It makes you think the centaurs had it right–four legs and two arms.
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Oh dear! Take care. Those cobblestone streets are really hard to walk on and definitely NOT a place to ever wear heels!
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I haven’t worn heels in 15 years or more…I don’t need any excuse to fall down. Gravity does the job. I was taking care…there’s the rub! I’m sure it was a grand spectacle…but on the mend, I hope, due to Peyote and Arnica unguent, reumofan and Advil…Aloe Vera for the scrapes. Thanks for your sympathy…J
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So sorry you fell! I hope you are all right. I know how dangerous a fall can be. I wish there was something I could fix and rush right over to you, Perhaps some brownies? Some shortbread cookies? Something sweet to take away the sting of your descent to the cobblestones. Wishing you a swift recovery.
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Oh you naughty girl. Pablito came and helped me set up and Yolanda and Pablo carried stuff down stairs at day’s end. Glad to have my Mexican family here now that my expat family deserted me. Ha. Sasha is moving back to the states…They miss their family. Will buy a house there and rent here for a few months a year. Somewhere in N. Carolina I believe. Had good luck at O.S. and of course bought an incredible piece from my neighbor. She insisted on trading, so count that as a sale as well because I was intending to buy her drawing…wonderful view of a raven sitting on a young girl’s shoulder. My knee feels better but still not up to dancing. stairs are hard. Shoulder sore but I’ll live. oxox J
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OMG !!! Remi…..How awful. Now I even feel more quilty that I did not make it to the art tour . You might get stiff now from riding in the car and sitting that long. If you need anything at all give me a call. Not all of your ex-pat family has deserted you 🙂 . please take care….
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Ha! Never thought of making a tumble in the street a sales technique. There were lots of people and you’ve seen all my art dozens of time…No problema. Luckily it is my left knee giving me the most trouble, so I can shift it around as it won’t have to be on the gasssssssssss. See you in a week…xo
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Yowsa! I felt that! Seriously, hope you heal quickly and well. I particularly liked the Rum and Coke bit, in that order. Abrazos from La Manz, where Ted and I are gasping with that dreaded lurgy cold that’s been going around since we got here.
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It’s been freezing cold and rainy in San Miguel as well, if that is any consolation. Nice today for the last day, however. So sorry you’ve had the cold weather curse as well.
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oh wow. hope you are doing better. Rum and coke first..good choice!
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