"Lefty"

I’ve been speed walking every day at lunch since July; it’s my over-50 version of P90X I suppose. I speed walk a mile, taking in the sights and sounds of the TCU campus while working on my savage tan. My original goal was to walk a mile in less than 20 minutes. Now, I’m trying to beat my best time of 15 minutes 42 seconds. Maybe I was getting a little bit too cocky; maybe I needed to be brought down a peg or two…

This morning, I decided to extend my over-50 P90X workout routine to speed walk into work. I did so on an uneven sidewalk, passing all of those 18-year-old college freshman who were shuffling unenthusiastically toward their eight o’clock classes, secretly offering to let them ‘eat my dust’, when all of a sudden I was looking up into their faces.

That’s right. I fell.

And I don’t mean ‘fell’ as in stagger a bit; put your hands out to break your fall; land on your knees-type fall. Oh no. I couldn’t fall like that. I had to fall fast and I had to fall hard. In fact, I fell so fast and so hard, I didn’t have time to think. Fortunately, I landed on my left side so I was able to save my lunch, which is always a priority for me.  I immediately sprang up; politely telling all those youngsters huddled over me who were offering to help me up that I didn’t need their assistance; that I was more embarrassed than hurt, even though making contact with the concrete did hurt.  

I’ve heard of people falling before, but it seems most references to those who have fallen were made of elderly people; people in their 80s or 90s, who as a result of their fall broke a hip and became confined to a wheelchair for the rest of their time here on earth. I didn’t break a hip. I’m not confined to a wheelchair. I just turned 50 for heaven’s sake. Fifty!  That’s not old, is it?

Well, here’s the really embarrassing part…I have to report my fall to TCU. I’m trying to keep my head about the whole thing, but it’s hard. I keep telling myself if I report the uneven sidewalk maybe they will fix it so no one else will fall. But still. I wonder if TCU will be tempted to issue me another ID one that reads “Grace” or better yet “Lefty” Kassler.

I wonder if this is what the Bible means when it says “…an arrogant attitude precedes a fall”?

“Ouch” again if it does.