Maladroit Fool: Grade School Edition

Remember the class trips in elementary school?

Remember the excitement to leave class with all your friends and enjoy a day away.

A day to goof around and be a kid.

A day to look back on and think I would love to do that again?

Well I can tell you I was excited but I would never wish to relive the events.

My small town had a smaller school and I had one of the smallest classes. We were in grade seven. The grade when I had my first kiss, got my period and had the worst fall of my life.

Queen’s University. Its slogan, “wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times”. Not much wisdom in this story.

We were there for a field trip, exploring their extra-curricular facilities. It was incredible. Never so young have I felt so mature, so empowered and so sure that university was in my future. I couldn't have picked a better field trip if I had tried.

We learned how to Fence. It was so calculated. I was very intrigued. It was something of a dance to dodge and launch yourself at your opponent. Normally I am not very graceful on my feet, but that day, in that moment at least, I resembled a hummingbird as I stopped time and a cheetah as I focussed intently. It was a dance that I was executing to perfection.

Next came the embarrassing part. We went to their martial arts room. It was a room that had mats both on the floors and the walls. It was meant to be a safe space. My teacher decided to get us to play a game of tag. Very simple, right? One would think so. I sure did.

The tour guide asked us for only one small favour, that we take off our shoes while on the mats. This was to keep the mats clean. Simple request for a simple game.

My classmates started running around and got picked off one by one. Not being the fastest kid I was out in no time. I started walking off the court towards my friends who were sitting against the wall when I heard it. I think I heard the break well before I felt it. It was a loud pop sound.

All I knew was that I couldn't walk on my left ankle. I immediately sat down on the floor, crab walked to the wall and then scaled the wall to my friends. I sat there for the duration of the game. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't put my feelings into words. My ankle had its own pulse, which felt unsettling in itself.

Once it was time to go I wasn't sure how standing would feel. All I knew was that my adrenaline was pumping through my body at high speed. I tried to get up on my own and thought that if I were to test a small portion of my weight on my ankle I would be fine. I tried this and simultaneously started to cry. It had to be a break if it hurt this bad, I thought.

My friend got my teacher for me and I explained what had happened and how I was feeling at that moment. I felt embarrassment and pain. Who hurts themselves in a room covered head to toe in mats?

My teacher asked me to try to stand up, which I attempted to do but immediately started to cry due to the pain. One of the male tour guides picked me up and carried me outside the building where my teacher and I waited for a taxi to take us to the hospital.

We get to the hospital, my nerdy teacher and I wait for six hours before seeing a doctor. I actually had to use crutches to walk myself to the bathroom. It was that or use a wheelchair. Once we finally saw someone, the usual work up was done and the conclusion was just the icing on the cake.

Broke my ankle and fractured three growth plates. Only I could win this lottery of misery.