Accidental ThanksgivingBy: Vicki Wentz / Vicki’s VoiceToday is a cautionary tale intended toremind all thatmost accidents occurin the home. (That is,most accidents occur in MY home, so if Iwere you I wouldn’t visit.) For example:It was the day before Thanksgiving, andI decided to boil the sweet potatoes for myfamous casserole, so I’d have one less thingto do the next day. When there were twelvepotatoes boiling away, in the giant pot thatI’d had since 1974, excess water begansplashing over the side.I lifted the pot, swung just 3 feet to theleft, poured out some water, and swung backtowards the stove. At that moment, one of thepot handles broke, and the entire thing fellfrom my hands.Always clear-headed in a crisis, as it fell Ithought “Gee, I bet that’s heavy, I ought tostep back so it doesn’t hit my toes.” At no timedid I think, What about the boiling water!That pan hit the floor and the water surged out of it like the wave inThe Perfect Storm, engulfing my stockinged feet. I ran to the hallwayand pulled off my socks, and running upstairs, I grabbed the phone asI raced through the bedroom and headed for the big tub.In seconds, I was sitting on the side,running lukewarm water over feet burnedthe color of Clinique’s new “Spitfire” lipstick.The only phone number I could rememberwas a friend’s cell, and the poor thing was onher way to the beach.When she heard me babbling incoherently,she pulled into a gas station and calmly triedto get the gist of the call. After hearing lotsof words like “horrible pain” and “beet red”and “no skin”, she calmly instructed me tocall my neighbor, Debbie, then promised shewould call additional friends.Debbie arrived, looked at my feet and saidwe should call 911. I said, “Oh, no, a littleAdvil and I’d be fine.” She was skeptical.I lifted my feet from the water and almostpassed out. I suggested that perhaps I’d soakthem a little longer.Meanwhile, Susan showed up, and veryloudly demanded Debbie to call 911. Andordered me to stop arguing.The paramedics arrived. Lots of getting acquainted activity in thebathroom. I was happy I’d ordered those colorful rugs because ladies,you just never know where the party might end up.Bev got there on the heels of the paramedics and sat down on theside of the tub. One paramedic asked me to lift my feet out of the water.I told him no. He looked perplexed and decided I needed morphine.There were now 6 people in the bathroom – we ALL needed morphine.He stuck a needle in my arm, and as the drug began to flow I startedleaning heavily on Bev. She was soon supporting me completely, whichslid her over the button that turns on the Jacuzzi.A paramedic had been bending over the water, and when the jetsroared, he reared back and dropped his clipboard into the tub. He wasreally mad.He said, “Ma’am, you’ll have to turn off those jets, this really isn’t thetime.” Not one of your cum laude paramedics.They eventually got me to the ambulance, and one guy sprayed myfeet with saline solution all the way to the hospital, while I laughed andcried in a morphine haze.My son had arrived from college as they were carrying me from thehouse, and after assuring himself that I was alive and on drugs, he bentover me, his face filled with anxious concern, and whispered, “Mom,are we still having turkey?”Happy Thanksgiving everyone!60November 2020Vicki Wentz is a writer, teacher and speaker living in NorthCarolina. Readers may contact her - and order her new children’sbook! - by visiting her website at www.vickiwentz.com.
you are welcomehereour doors are open andsafety measures are in place!pastor paul blockJoin us for Church In-Person or Online.We have taken precautions to create a safeworship space. Come to hear the Good Newsof God’s love for you!Saturdays In-Person at 5:00pmSundays In-Person at 8:30am and 10:00amOnline Sundays at 8:30am and 10:00amNew Song Church is located at 1291 Cornet Streetin Henderson. Call us at (702) 492-1771 or visit usonline at www.NewSongAnthem.com61
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