America the Beautiful

Someone just emailed me to ask whether this actually happened.  I am not quite certain how I could have imagined it but, as with everything else I say, I can demonstrate some measure of proof - except I had a difficult time trying to understand how to make the camera interact with the computer.  This is bothersome because it is supposed to happen automatically; and typing gives me a headache.

My eyes are somewhat swollen. I am a bit sore and thus not able to articulate the camera to take pictures of my elbow or knee but they made only secondary impacts.  As you can see, My forehead impacted just to the left of the vertical median. The left eye focus is presently fixed near infinity and is very slowly responsive to light - not quickly enough to see by clinical inspection.  That probably indicates a concussion - not a surprise, since I went unconscious for some seconds. My upper right cheekbone is sore but there are no marks.  Maybe I bounced on it.

There was never enough pain involved to require medication and, after a hot shower, I was able to articulate all of my joints - so I skipped a visit to the ER.  Going to the emergency room for every little nick and scrape is ridiculous. I have never been there. I do have an appointment with an optometrist for December 26, but that is entirely a coincidence.  I suspected the prescription for my glasses was no longer correct.  Now I am almost positive. 

I proofread this after realizing the email I sent last night was missing words and might have been a little dramatic. I also may have confused the parking lot of the gas station with the parking lot of the post office.  It was one of them.

I thank everyone for their concern. Calls and visits are neither requested nor desired because I do not seem to be able to carry a simple conversation at the moment and I don't feel clearheaded.

Did this really happen to you? Someone else and you're sharing it? 

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From: tcburnett@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:36:59 -1000
Subject: America the Beautiful
To: post@drtom.posterous.com

I just went to the Post office to send my Social security check (Plus $66 from last month) to the LA County Deputies and their families who are deployed.  I stepped in an oil slick and crashed.  I have a concussion and maybe something broken in my elbow. I was unconscious in a pool of blood for seconds and people just stepped over me. When I became conscious, I went in and stood in line.  All the God-loving Americans who were in line before me asked if I was OK (blood was pouring out of my head and elbow) and knee....but no one offered to let me step up in line otr help me stop the bleeding. By the time I got to the counter, the postmaster was dialing 9-1-1....but I told him to forget it and get letter out.

I used to have at least SOME compassion for my fellow citizens.  I think that just went away.