Tuesday, February 28, 2006

A Self Inflicted Life
Inheriting the Curious Gene 

Tonight out of the din that is two kids and company one of those present-tense parenting moments: a sudden screaming around the corner and I'm sprinting around the kitchen island like slow motion and into the bathroom and there in the shower my little girl is standing shaking shrieking all alone behind the frosted glass and honey what's the matter O my god she's (Darcie!) bleeding really badly o my god o baby (Darcie! Come quick!) oh baby it's going to be okay and Daddy I was stuck in the DRAIN...

Some kids get their head stuck in the banister. I did.

Tonight my daughter stuck her littlest finger in the shower drain, and shredded the skin off the circumference from base to knuckle trying to pull it out.

The result: one utterly terrified little girl; a series of coldpinkwater rinses; a struggle to see the finger, bend the finger, examine the finger. Hours of relived panic; eventually, an exhausted gauzewrap at doctor's recommendation. No signs of permanent damage so far, but the kind of painful skin injury that restricts full play, nags at the soul, takes forever to heal.

She'll be scared of the shower forever. She'll feel ashamed, and reminded of her shame until long after the scar shows. I know. I remember.

Gonna be a long month.

The drain, Darcie says, after the kids have gone to sleep. Who does that?

I would, I think. But I don't say anything.

posted by boyhowdy | 8:21 PM |

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Comments:

Not to minimize the actual event because it was significant, but I could not help but love/envy the way you wrote it. Such creative word usage (and creation); it was perfect. It was like I was there.

Hope your daughter heals quickly.

# posted by  Anonymous : 12:33 AM, March 01, 2006

 

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