careless whispers

“Oh my fur and whiskers!  I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!
I’m late, I’m late!  For a very important date!  No time to say ‘hello, goodbye,’ I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!” 
– The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland

I was late.  Incredibly late.

I had gotten too comfortable in bed and did not want to get out of the warmth.  I slept with four blankets and it’s wrapped around me like a cocoon.  But because I stayed in bed too long, I was late to picking up our Thanksgiving meal from Knotts Berry Farm.

I was running around upstairs like a chicken with her head cut off.  I had to brush my teeth, wash my face, put my hair up in a ponytail, and put on a t-shirt and sweatpants.  I slung my bag around my shoulder. I grabbed two empty mugs that I had coffee and tea in.

I raced down the stairs like my life depended on it.  I was almost to the bottom of the staircase when I lost my footing and I slid down two stairs and landed flat on my ass.

Initially, I thought I broke my coccyx and foot.  I quickly told myself, “get up, you dummy.”  When I stood up, my whole backside, ankles, and right foot were throbbing in pain.  I limped to the kitchen with the two cups in tact and my mom asked, “What happened?”  I avoided her eyes and replied, “Oh, nothing.  It’s nothing.”

I hobbled to the car and wondered how I could be so damn careless.  I can’t be running around like I was a teenager anymore.  I’m a full grown adult.

I drove in pain while picking up our Thanksgiving meal and charcuterie board from another vendor.  I was going to take Ibuprofen when I got home but time did not permit because our guests were trickling in by then.

The next day, I examined my body and found large contusions all over: back, ass, left hand, ankles, and the ball of my right foot.  Because I have anemia, I bruise easily and it looked as if a honey badger attacked me.

I have made it a point now to not push the snooze button anymore and stop tearing down the stairs like I was a road runner being chased by Wile E. Coyote.  That extra two minutes of sleep is not worth it.