My brother, my sister and I concluded not long ago that our real hobbies are work. When our two boys were lazy adolescents, they used to kid, "Well, you know, before breakfast Dad has installed a sprinkler system and found a cure for cancer."
So it is with some difficulty that I am spending a great deal of time sitting around with my left hand elevated to try to reduce the swelling in my mangled-but-repaired left thumb.. (I should note here that we are fortunate to have an institution like UAB Hospital so near, and I was even more fortunate that Dr. Ian Marrero was available. I am told he is the person you want to fix your hand, and I will endorse that statement.)
I was fretting the other day about all of the things I need/want to do, but I reminded myself, "Well, dimwit, if you hadn't stuck your thumb in the table saw you wouldn't be having to work on the patience thing."
The reactions I get from acquaintances has been interesting. Sympathy, of course. Some people recall their own close calls – anyone who has spent any time working with power tools has had a close call – or talk about someone they know who did. Some people ask whether I plan to stay away from power tools. I tell them I think I'll just call Blue Cross and tell them I'm planning to make some more Adirondack chairs and they will say, "hey, we'll bring you some. What color do you want?"
It's funny. A friend of mine had a moment of inattention not long ago and crashed his car. I'll bet no one will ask him whether he plans to stop driving.
Of course I will go back to the shop -- just as quickly as I am able. A saw is no more dangerous than an automobile. Both will let you get away with being careless, until that they don't. I will just look at what's left of my thumb and use it as a reminder to pay more attention to the things that can hurt you.
Contact the writer at billatthelake@gmail.com
