How to save a life
Wow... the wind! While I love its blowy power, I think it's killing my flowers. It's absolutely crazy out there right now!
Yesterday, there was a woman pushing a cart with a screaming and flailing little girl of about seven years in the basket. She passed the cigarette cage, then a little while later, came back, girl still bawling her angry little eyes out. "Can I check out here, so I can get her out of here quickly?" asks the woman through the chain link fence, and I agree. I walk to my register and stand beside it. Meanwhile, the little girl has stood up in the basket facing her mother. When mom stops the cart at the register, the girl's inertia begins to carry her backward, so she attempts to take a step backward to catch herself. There is a box of milk behind her, and she begins to fall backward over the milk, over the edge of the cart.
My heart stopped, and I don't know how I made it to the cart that quickly, but I caught the girl as she fell out of the basket. I grabbed her by the arms as she screamed louder (if that was possible at all) and held her until her mom said it was okay for me to let go. The mom said that the girl had spied the jungle gym we have for sale, and wanted it, and when she was denied, she began to throw this tantrum. I rang up her two items and said goodbye.
I shook for about two minutes after the transaction, my heart racing. It felt like I couldn't catch my breath. In my mind's eye I could see what would have happened, had I missed. The girl would have tumbled backward, her midsection held by the back of the basket. She would have fallen headfirst into the concrete from a height of about 5 1/2 feet. Would her skull have cracked? Her neck snapped? Both?
I doubt the girl will remember it long. But I think I will remember it for the rest of my life.
I hope the mom explains to that little girl how close she was to getting hurt. I hope the mom makes her walk next to the cart next time. I hope I never have to catch another falling child. If I do, I hope I don't miss.
Yesterday, there was a woman pushing a cart with a screaming and flailing little girl of about seven years in the basket. She passed the cigarette cage, then a little while later, came back, girl still bawling her angry little eyes out. "Can I check out here, so I can get her out of here quickly?" asks the woman through the chain link fence, and I agree. I walk to my register and stand beside it. Meanwhile, the little girl has stood up in the basket facing her mother. When mom stops the cart at the register, the girl's inertia begins to carry her backward, so she attempts to take a step backward to catch herself. There is a box of milk behind her, and she begins to fall backward over the milk, over the edge of the cart.
My heart stopped, and I don't know how I made it to the cart that quickly, but I caught the girl as she fell out of the basket. I grabbed her by the arms as she screamed louder (if that was possible at all) and held her until her mom said it was okay for me to let go. The mom said that the girl had spied the jungle gym we have for sale, and wanted it, and when she was denied, she began to throw this tantrum. I rang up her two items and said goodbye.
I shook for about two minutes after the transaction, my heart racing. It felt like I couldn't catch my breath. In my mind's eye I could see what would have happened, had I missed. The girl would have tumbled backward, her midsection held by the back of the basket. She would have fallen headfirst into the concrete from a height of about 5 1/2 feet. Would her skull have cracked? Her neck snapped? Both?
I doubt the girl will remember it long. But I think I will remember it for the rest of my life.
I hope the mom explains to that little girl how close she was to getting hurt. I hope the mom makes her walk next to the cart next time. I hope I never have to catch another falling child. If I do, I hope I don't miss.