Sending #Gratitude to Random Strangers
[image error]It is quite unlikely any of them will ever see this post, but I must publicly thank the random strangers who helped me this afternoon. I had gone for a quick, brisk walk to get some oxygen into my blood during a brief lull at work. I slipped on some black ice and would have done a perfect reverse cartwheel if only the back of my head hadn’t hit the ground on the way over.
Somewhat embarrassingly, when I came round I couldn’t feel a thing from my neck down, and thus could not move, let alone actually get off my big, fat arse and stand up. At that point, a young girl in glasses, probably a student, phoned for an ambulance; a middle-aged lady began asking me questions to keep me talking; and a grandmother with a careworn face volubly blamed the city council for not putting sand on the pavements. Meanwhile, a couple of nearby stallholders with faces of granite gained from years of outdoor work carefully slid strips of cardboard under my arms and legs to keep some of the freezing ice and snow underneath me at bay.
[image error]After about 15 minutes, the ambulance arrived. Feeling had returned to my limbs, aided no doubt by the freezing wet cloth my jeans had become. Annoyingly, the main sensation was that of an outrageous number of red-hot pins stabbing my shoulders and arms. Three young medics got their exercise quota for the day when they managed to lift me onto the stretcher (no, really, well done lads!), and then they took me to the nearest hospital. The Polish national health service comes in for a lot stick here, but my experiences have nearly always been positive, and today was no exception. Several doctors, nurses and other staff all did their thing, and after a few scans and a thorough examination, I was thankfully sent home with enough painkillers to subdue a gaggle of foaming-at-the-mouth Brexshitters, a snazzy neck-brace to wear for a week, and strict instructions to rest.
To each of you kind, considerate people who helped me today: thank you, not only for your assistance, but also for restoring my faith in human nature.
