Those moments in life…

I like to think I’m fairly risk-adverse… Some would say I’m too risk adverse, but to be honest, I love the balance I have in my life. I love knowing that for the most part, nothing I do will directly result in anyone (including myself) ending up dead. It’s part of the reason I never want to be a cop… The odds of me shooting someone are relatively high

But from time to time (and I’m pretty sure this happens to someone at some point), you are brought into someone else’s risk-gone-wrong. For example, you may see a car accident happen due to some reckless driving and then be called on to help them. You may see a bridge collapse and be called on to help because you were the last car off the bridge. You never really know when your going to be called on to help someone in a dire situation.

Case in point: this morning.

My parents have been out of town on a “second honeymoon” of sorts. I’m here by myself, and when that is the case I generally stay in my room and work on my computer. My parents, being the smart people they are, decided that this 2 week break would be a perfect time to get some warranty work done on the house (mainly fixing some sheet rock stuff that has cracked, etc since the house was built).

This morning, one of the sheet rock guys came to finish up some stuff. I, like always, stay out of their way, just hiding in my room. I was simply playing some poker and listening to a phone conference when I heard a relatively loud BANG followed by HEEEELLLLLPPPPPP and then another HELLLLLPPPPP.

Immediantly I’m running out of my room, running up the stairs trying to find where this guy is. I run up the stairs looking where I expect him to be and find him not there… He see’s me though and yells help again, drawing my head immediantly to the situation at hand.

He was hanging from the rafter in my living room (about 20 feet off the ground). The ladder had collapsed from under him, and somehow, he managed to hold on. I quickly try to get the stupid ladder under his feet again, but this is one of those giant metal ladders that generally should be put up with more than one person. However, I inch it up the wall and brace it with all my weight because I couldn’t get it back at an angle that would work for him perfectly (he had it leaning against the rafter when he started, which was the first mistake). In any case, in all the madness, he drops a sheetrock bucket or something, nailing me in the head (go figure, but I mention it because anything hitting me in the head these days is pretty funny), but after about 20 seconds of heart pounding cooperation, we get him down safely.

More than enough excitement for me today.  In fact, I’m still trying to wear off the adrenaline like an hour later.

The funny part (if there is one) about the whole thing, was what happened once he was on the ground again. It was one of those situations where I’m not sure either person knew what to say… We stood there simply in shock for a better word. We decided to take down the ladder for the day and to not try that again without some better form of security. Can’t remember the last time I was in a situation where neither party knew what to say…

Now the only question that remains… What are we going to do about the dent in the floor? I don’t think replacing the floor is an option… Hmmm maybe I’ll move a couch. (the object that hit my head, hit the floor, and metal meeting wood leaves pretty good dent… Still not sure how metal meeting head does not…)