Remember the last time I took Chloe shopping? It was lovely, the apple display at the grocery store ended up all over the floor. So, why would I think it would be any different this time? What in the world could possibly go wrong this time? I guess I wasn't thinking clearly today. I don't know, maybe it had something to do with the only 3 hours of sleep I got last night.
So, here come Chloe and I, entering our local grocery store. Everybody runs for cover. We're well known around here by now. Normally, I also bring Gavin and Bennett each pushing their own pint-sized shopping cart, carrying their own little lists and repeatedly ramming into the backs of my heals over and over and over again - that's a whole other blog, I could write for days and days on that one. ....as I was saying...we breazed through the produce section without much fan fair.
On to the isles now. As I was bent over looking at the tremendous selection of prepackaged applesauces, Chloe reaches out and tries to grab whatever happens to be within reach. Unfortunately, it was a large can of cherries for pie filling. Fortunately for me, it didn't land on my head, rather, inches from my left foot. That was a close call.
We are now 5 minutes from check out. I am delighted with our successful little outing. It is well known that 'pride comes before a fall'. I started gloating a little too soon, obviously. How was I to know that Chloe would turn around like she was made out of rubber, grab whatever was in reach in the cart behind her and throw it to the ground like she was in the olympic shot put competition?
I had no clue what hit me, but I knew something did since I was on the floor writhing in pain. As I survey the damage, I notice a can of something (with hard, metal, round edges)that I just put in my cart on the floor next to my ankle bone that is now the size of Rhode Island and getting bigger by the second. My toes start to tingle. I begin to wonder if they will have to carry me out of here on a stretcher because my one year old threw food at her Mommy. I am shocked as I look up and see my sweet, angelic daughter looking down at me like I'm crazy.
I suddenly remember that I'm in a public place and crying or a loud scream would not be an appropriate response. I try to look behind me, but can't seem to muster the energy. The pain is throbbing. If she was trying to hit the bulls eye of the nerve endings servicing my right foot, she couldn't have been more on target. I hear people behind me talking but they are not racing toward me in aid, so I must be handling the pain in a 'civilized' enough manner.
I slowly ascend to the vertical standing position trying to look like all the other shoppers around me - on one foot only. I am now permanently impaired. I feel like I have a ball and chain attached to my right foot and have to drag it behind me. How can such a little person wreak such havoc unintentionally and within milliseconds?
