Category: Life

Thirty years later while working on a Construction Site in Erie P.A. , we were doing Interior Demolition. The Building was an Abandoned. U.S. Steel Foundry. Working in Construction, Safety was always my number one Priority. I was properly outfitted in a Safety Harness and tied off on Rafters, my Coworker was a Macho Man, who felt that he didn’t need one. There was a Wall twenty feet high thirty feet long and one foot Thick. It was this Wall he chose to walk, after walking for fifteen feet, the wall started  squeeking. As soon as I heard the first squeek, I was on the Wall, dragging him to safety. There were People working below in the Room of Steel. My actions alerted them to run. After the last Man was out the Wall Collapsed. Can you imagine the sound a 100 Million Ton slab of Metal falling on to a Matal Floor. Back on the Landing where I pulled my Coworker to safety, I checked my Safety Harness to notice a Rip in one of the Straps, one broken Strap is very Dangerous, Thank you Lord.

Fifty five years later I was still doing it. When my Mother had Stubbed her Big Toe and Broke it in a Nursing Home, the so called Skilled Care Personnel did not check her out properly. Her Leg was Xrayed but not her Foot, That was an incompetent Blunder. As a result of that Blunder, a week later I noticed in all her Pain, in the Foot, was the result of a Broken Toe, now several Toes were turning green. I superseded the Staff and Called the Ambulance, one thing that I have noticed during my work Life, Foolish People always developed an Attitude when you are showing them how to do something the right way. From having three Toes infected with Gangrene, the leg had to be removed above the knee. In another Day or two nothing could have been done. I was Negligible by trusting the so called Skilled Care Staffing and not taking matters in my own Hands, by taking her to the Hospital and have a Cat Scan done, my Bad. She was in a skilled Care Facility stupid me trusted them. I have always had the Highest Respect for People who put thei’r Life on the Line. The Brave Soldier making the Ultimate Sacrifice, the People who Serve and Protect, the E.M.T knowing the Exact amount of a Drug needed to bring you out of a Seizure, and not enough to leave you rendered Intubated, where your Organs are too Dilated to do their Jobs. If the Ventilator Breath’s for you for longer than three Days, coming off it Successfully  is Rare. But these are the Decisions made Daily, People that makes things Happen.

As the Song goes, “I feel Safe in New York City”. Well I feel Safe with the People around me who knows when to Act. My Wife worked for twenty five years in the Emergency Room at the V.A. Hospital, I jokingly told her that if I had that Job, I would be an Alcoholic. Many of her Coworkers and Friends did not Live to be her Age, the Stresses were Great. Last Saturday was an Extraordinary Day for me. I went to my Friend’s House for a day of Head butting about the Ills of The World and Society, as we always do when we meet. Earlier in the Day I was checking some Artificial Crab Meat to use for Bait. It has been sitting in the Refrigerator for Months, I smelled it to find no Odors, I licked it for Tart, there was none. Regardless, Bait is all that was to become of that. If I ate less than one Ounce of that Crab Meat I would not be here writing this.

As the saying goes ” let your Food become your Medicine before your Medicine becomes your Food. Living to be sixty seven have left me Privileged to many Sayings, many of them are words to live by. I don’t believe that I was at my Friend’s House for more than ninety Minutes, when I became Violently Ill, licking that Crab Meat had sent a Bacteria swimming in my Blood, it was trying to Kill me, I had Ptomaine Poisoning. Thinking that I wanted to Puke I stood up and wobbly walked five feet away from the Patio Furniture. All of a sudden an Electrifying Effect ran through my Brain, the Bacteria had reached my Brain, I was Blacking Out. On the way down Head first to the well laid Brick Walkway under me, I thought to myself, this is it you are Dying. Before my Knees hit the Pavement, Trevor had jumped into Action, he put me in a Bear Hug and laid me down comfortably on the Ground, all the time trying to Access my Conditions and keep me Focused. Lucky me Trev was once a Lifeguard.

Once I was on the Ground it was Good Night. My Brain was still Fighting to come Back, I was in a Place where there were nothing but Dark Gray Clouds, if that’s not Dying then how Far. Other than Trev shouting at me don’t close your Eyes, I knew for myself that the only way to get away from the Dark Clouds were to open my Eyes and Gaze on the 🌞. Ten Seconds later I was coming out of the Electrical Storm in my Brain, as I slowly Focused my World was upside down, I thought about closing my Eyes again for Comfort. Trevor’s Voice was loud and Instructive, ” Don’t Close your Eyes. Three minutes later I was able to open my Eyes without the Roller Coaster Effect. Once he realized that I was somewhat Focused, he went to work asking me all the Questions asked by an E.M.T. Personnel trying to find Cause and Effect, all the time Prodding me for him to call 911. I refused the 911 Call because I felt myself coming back Gradually. All during this Debacle he Hung with me Engaging me in Conversation making sure that I didn’t Regress. He Nursed me back to being Functional, he provided lots of Liquids Rollaids and Air Conditioning, all the time Prodding me, should he call. Once we moved inside he made a Bed for me on the Sofa, knowing that I needed Rest from that Ordeal, did I mention making things Happen. You can guess that  Life was no longer on the Line, when I Cracked to him that the A.C was so Cold that this is how they Preserved Bodies. Sunday I had to work for a couple of Hours, the Songs that Played in my Head, were ” if you’re going under I’ll be your Oxygen and How Wonderful Life is when you’re in the World, thanks Dirty Heads, Elton and thank you Trev. We walk not only by Sight but also by Faith.

P.S Lord! keep on proving yourself to me.

P.P.S. From the Outcomes I am here Today to tell you! Live each Day as if it were  your last! Live, Love,Laugh and Give God thanks for the Gift of Life, and for each Day that we are given.

Final Post Script

Why do I get the Feeling that I should be Living my Life closer to God.