Head Wounds

Sunday, October 2, 2005

Head wounds. Why do they bleed so much and yet when wiped there is but a scratch exposed?

Another childhood story coming your way. We used to visit my cousins quite a bit when we were younger, obviously. I have a lot of cousins too but don't know too many of them.

Most of them lived out in the country so we had lots to explore, lots of room to run, and lots of trouble to find.

On one particular day, we were visiting someone that I don't even remember. I don't know who they were, I don't remember where they lived, nothing. What I do remember is that my head saved a rather large picture window from shattering.

Us kids, when we got together would play all sorts of games. Redlight-greenlight, tag, kick the can, flashlight tag, or just plain made up games. On this particular day we were playing redlight-greenlight. Of course not all of the kids participated. Some were much older or just 'too grown-up' for those children's games. I was somewhere between the ages of 6-8 at this time and having a jolly good time duping the caller of the game. In fact, I was almost to the finish line with great anticipation rumbling in my belly before it happened.

There was this boy not far from where we were playing, maybe 11 or 12 who was doing what boys do. Throwing sticks and throwing rocks. I had seen him and noticed that he was throwing towards where we were playing but really thought nothing of it as I was nearing the finish. If I recall, an adult had told this kid to stop throwing rocks but of course this order was ignored.

With each call of 'greenlight' I inched ever closer to toeing the line with what must have been a huge grin on my face. I was gonna win, I was gonna be in charge, I could not wait.

Within about 4 feet of the finish line which was strategically placed right in front of the front door of this house and a large picture window, my world was rocked....literally. At the time, I heard a 'thunk' and felt this immense pain on my head just above my right temple. I placed my hand over the spot and looked at it because it felt wet and surprise...there was blood everywhere. And it was pouring out of my wound. Of course I cried and all hell broke loose.

I remember walking into the house full of adults gasping and rushing to make sure I was ok as I worried about dripping blood all over the place. Even then I hated for people to fuss over me.

Yes, it hurt a lot and all I wanted was my mom but rags were being thrown at us at light speed. I must've looked terrible with all that blood dripping down my cheek and onto my clothes.

I wasn't able to play outside after that. My mom wanted to keep a close eye on me after this. I had to stay inside and play with the really little kids which I was more than happy to do.

I remember someone pointing out to this boy that he was lucky he didn't hit the window and break it, and the joke was that my head saved his butt. In all actuality, it probably did.

But someone had picked up this rock that he threw. This was no pebble but a rock about the size of a golf ball. At least from my childhood perspective that is what size it seemed to be. It may have been much smaller.

In the end, I had a pretty good lump on my head. I know that the wound was something cool to show my friends when I got home from there. My mom was really, really mad at this kid and kept telling me how lucky I was that I didn't get hit in the temple. I know now that she was right about that.

I still have a little scar there to remind me of that day. A bump about the size of a pea remained there for many years afterwards but it has since shrunk to the size of about a half of a pea now.

What is so amazing about head wounds, face wounds and or mouth wounds is that one would think they are going to die from loss of blood for all the blood that pours out or that they will require reconstructive surgery for some gaping hole.

This tale has been told within that last week in this house. Our son has been throwing rocks a lot lately just to throw them and it brought me back to that day. If I can save not a window but the head of another child, well, I am happy to do so.

I have a couple of other head-tales to tell but will not do so in this entry. Perhaps it has been the cause of my very appropriate state of befuddlement throughout my life......hehehee.

Written by louie0768 .