I
bent over and peered through the window glass, beyond the steering
wheel, and through the open driver’s door.
To my surprise, there was Sharma on the ground struggling to get
up.
I rushed around the car as she managed to land on her feet. We
had parked next to a sewer drain, and my first thought was, “The
keys went down the drain.” But that was not the case. The
keys were safely located on the front seat. However, Sharma was in pain. Her left foot, trapped in a sneaker,
was aching. She had stepped on uneven pavement near the drain.
We rushed to her home where she removed her shoe and found a large
lump protruding from the side of her foot.
Sharma, an independent soul, insisted that I leave. Reluctantly,
I edged out the door and left her to make a phone call to her
doctor. Later, I heard that her neighbor and friend, Rebounder
Jackie Edwards, drove her to Laurel Regional Hospital where a
broken foot was the diagnosis.
We all know the rest. For the next six weeks, Sharma hobbled to
Mystics games, Rebounder meetings, and piano lessons.
To the delight of 26 Rebounders, she also continued with plans
for the tea and recital on August 24th. On that day, her condo
bulged with admiring fans, each enthralled with compositions from
J C Bach, Beethoven, Chaminade, Moszkowski, Charles Stier, and
others. Helen Pickens’ amazing display of “crumpets”
accompanied the tea and punch.
Despite the mishap a month earlier, the beautiful event went off
as planned. Sharma’s left foot, almost healed, was there
to enjoy the exuberant sounds from pianists Mary-Ruth Chapin,
Steve Baddour, Molly Stier, and of course, Sharma.
It
was a wonderful Rebounder afternoon.
On September 2, the boot went out with the trash.
And that’s the truth. |
