Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Left Foot, Right Foot

I learned to walk when I was around a year old. My mother had gone to Spain to visit her youngest sister who was in the Navy and stationed there, so I was staying with my grandparents. The story goes they pushed me back and forth between them until I finally wobbled on my own, and I haven't looked back since.

Perhaps I should.

Yesterday I was running a few errands downtown, among them looking for new "everyday" flip flops. The ones I live in have no traction on the bottom and I've been slipping more and more. I didn't see anything I liked, plus my bags full of produce were getting a little heavy, so I turned back towards the car.

As I approached the curb I looked down to observe how pretty my pink toenails look when Wham! Down I went. It was actually more like wha... woah... hold on... waaaa... ahhh.... wham! Kind of a slow motion tumble. The curbs here are sloped - not the handicapped kind, you can't get a wheelchair up these - but a very steep, and slippery, curve.

My non-traction sandals hit the curb and the rest of me quickly followed. I almost caught myself so I didn't hit the ground as hard as I would've, but I still skinned half my leg and slammed my elbow onto the concrete. I popped up before anyone could ask if I was okay, then ran across the street and hopped into the car.

I'm fine, aside from a bruised elbow and a couple scratches, but I've learned a valuable lesson: next time I want to admire my pedicure, stop moving!




(There was ANOTHER boom followed by a fire, but it's becoming old news...)

7 comments:

Jes said...

Ha! That was one of my most recent purchases, five pairs of treaded flip-flops in a myriad of colors. I'm learning so much from you! Although the chances of me doing a digger on the dirt roads or cobbled streets of Sayulita probably aren't as great as on concrete, better to fall in fashionably colored flip-flops, I say! Should I get my toenails done?

Anonymous said...

I don't know if they sell them down there, but I love my Reefs! In fact, I am due to buy a new pair for this summer. They mold to the shape of your foot and only you are able to wear them since they would feel weird to anyone else's foot.

I hope your booboos heal soon!

Janna Leadbetter said...

*still chuckling* I'm so sorry to laugh at you, but this post cracks me up. Stopping to admire your pretty pink toes and popping back up from the curb so as not to be seen (however they were worded) were really well-written blurbs. I pictured the whole thing in my head, hence my giggles. :)

Glad you're okay!

Spy Scribbler said...

Must be a pretty pedicure! I need one of those some time!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Jes - yay for the flip flops! Toenails aren't essential but unless you're really digging them in the sand it'll last a month.

Turkey - I have a pair of Reefs but they're black and no one wears black here. At least I don't like wearing them because they make me look like a tourist. Stupid, I know.

Janna - Thanks. I didn't even brush the dirt off until I was home & in the shower!

SS - I do all my own pedi/mani stuff so you can do it!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Oh, and I keep dinging my elbow on EVERYTHING!

WendyCinNYC said...

I'm such a klutz that I can trip over my own feet -- no pretty pedicure required to distract me. And I think it makes it 1,000 times worse when people rush over to see if you are ok. Uh...yeah...I'm fine, she says as blood trickles down her knees.

Hope you feel better.