My last story about almost falling brought back memories of quite a few times when I actually fell. I made out a little better than a certain nursery rhyme character we’ve all read about, but it wasn’t easy to always be the faller.

When I was little-in age, not size-I used to fall quite often. Sometimes I fell on my own like when I pushed the merry-go-round too fast and couldn’t keep up. That was in elementary school and it took a long time to recover, but I got put back together with only a few scars. Other times I had help falling. My Pammy, who was bigger than me in both age and size, knocked me over as we raced to get a winning egg at the annual Easter Egg Hunt.  Two skinned knees didn’t stop me. I won a rabbit. As a consolation prize, My Pammy got some marshmallow peeps, which she really didn’t need. I guess sometimes you get what you deserve.

Regardless of the severity of the injury from falling, my parents used Mercurochrome or Merthiolate as part of the first aid regimen. Back in the day, that stuff contained mercury yet it was common practice to smear it all over cuts and scrapes to help prevent infection.  It burned like hell on open skin and my mom and dad would blow and fan to try and make it bearable.  My dad used the applicator to draw things around my boo-boos just to add some fun to it all. The year of the egg hunt mishap I wore an iodine-colored TV set with antennas on each knee. The color just happened to match my Easter dress, hat, gloves, and pocketbook. My sister wore the same outfit, minus the TV sets with antennas.

It’s funny how one shuffle stumble brought back a lot of childhood memories.  Sure, who wants to remember falling or being covered in substances containing mercury?  Probably nobody. But when you fall a lot you learn that sometimes you fall on your own and sometimes get pushed, but somebody is always there to help put you all back together again. Sorry Humpty!