SNAP, CRACK, OW!!

For the next few days, the Renaissance Runner will be the Renaissance Hobbler. I was down in Burlington this weekend visiting my family. While out walking the dog late this morning, I slipped on a patch of ice. As I struggled to stay upright, my right foot snapped sharply to the side, I heard a *crack* come from my ankle, and thought, "Maybe I should just sit on the sidewalk for a while." After a couple of minutes of vehicles driving by ignoring me, a car of kindly sixtysomethings from Liverpool stopped to ask me if I was alright. They were nice enough to give me a ride back to my parents' place a few blocks away.

My Dad drove me down to the hospital to get my ankle checked out. As I was going through the registration process, the Nurse asked me, "Has anyone ever told you you look like a Hollywood celebrity?"

"Here it comes," I thought. "Another Rick Mercer comparison."

"You look a lot like Jim Cavaziel," she remarked.

I stared at her blankly. "Who?"

"He was in The Thin Red Line, Pay it Forward, and the Passion of the Christ. Believe me, it's a good thing."

It might have been my imagination, but my processing through the various stations seemed to speed up after this. I've heard of celebrities getting better treatment, but celebrity pseudo-lookalikes? Later on, the nurse even came by with a printout of a couple of pictures of this Cavaziel guy. I didn't think there was that much of a resemblance, but he's definitely a good looking guy. If she wants to think I look like him, who am I to argue?

Luckily, the x-rays indicated I hadn't broken anything. It's just a bad sprain. They wrapped my ankle in a tenser bandage and gave me a prescription for Tylenol 3s. I already had crutches from a trip to Emergency ten years ago, so I'm able to gimp around. Since it's my right ankle, I can't drive back to Ottawa until I can put some weight on it to operate the gas and brake pedals. So for now, I'm staying in Burlington. Peace out, brothahs and sistahs.

Perspective

This morning I read something that really pissed me off. It brought on the kind of rage where you want to play loud, angry music, scream obscenities and smash things. I composed a short e-mail to DJ Kelly, ranting to her what happened, as I needed a sympathetic ear.

Within a few seconds of hitting the send button, my phone rang, indicating on the call display the Notorious MBA was calling me from her home. As it turned out, it wasn't MBA but her friend the Nanny. He informed me MBA's mother had passed away yesterday and she had left town to be with her family. Talk about dousing my feelings of anger and self-pity!

Her mom had been sick for quite some time, but I'm sure it doesn't change the feelings of shock and loss she must be going through right now. My thoughts are with you, MBA. You're strong and I know you'll get through this. Remember you have a lot of friends here who love you. When you get back, I'll cook you up a big plate of thick-sliced bacon and we'll talk.

Love RR