LADY IMPALES SELF ON RETRO TV STAND LEG.

When I was little my father was very diligent in trying to teach me to be careful – handwashng, avoiding rusty things, never leave sharp objects in a potentially dangerous position. On and on and on with the cautions; sometimes it seemed overwhelming. But he was right.

A couple of days ago I was moving stuff around in the den and upended an old TV stand I had picked up at a garage sale. I thought it was nifty – steel tubing fashioned into four legs and a horizontal TV support that included sliding parts to accommodate TV’s of various widths. I used it as an easily moveable stand for computer accessories: printers, scanners. Since I use a laptop, it made it easy to set up shop anywhere.

Now, when I upended it, I did think of those four tubular legs poking up into the air, but I ignored the thought; I mean, Hey, it’ll be all right. I was all wrong.

I had scooted some firewood away from the hearth while I was moving stuff and I forgot that and turned around and tripped, sending myself flying flat on my face. Between the floor and me, though, there was a table leg. I wish I could claim some James Bond/Jackie Chan great maneuver that allowed me to avoid it, but it was luck, pure luck that caused my body to turn slightly. I do remember a flash of fear: I’M BEING IMPALED.

And then I wasn’t. I was only poked about an inch, on an angle and I hit the floor as the leg pushed on my rib or sternum. Who knows – it hurts in the general area when I touch it. And I don’t touch it often.

This is what resulted:

Old dogs need to remember and heed the lessons they were taught as pups; luck may not always be positive.