Falling Down

a man falls into a rocky hole

Last Updated on September 30, 2024 by Tom Kane

Falling down. It’s something we humans do every now and then. Sometimes we get up, dust ourselves off, and move on with our lives. Sometimes, it’s painful, sometimes not. It’s embarrassing sometimes, it makes us laugh when a clown falls down, but it’s not so funny when serious injury, and sometimes death, ensues after we fall down.

Five years ago, I fell down. It was the first day of a short break my wife and I took in Protaras, Cyprus. We live on the island and at that time lived in Larnaca, which is a very short drive from our home to Protaras. On the first morning, we got up and had breakfast. Then we went for a walk. An hour later I was in hospital with seven broken ribs.

Falling down, we all do it.

Yes, it was painful, but not life threatening. I got over the pain and my ribs mended themselves. Sometimes I get the odd twinge in bed at night but no major issues.

Last week, my wife and I took a short break in Protaras.

I know what you’re about to say. “Not again!” No, I didn’t fall down again. But what I did do was to visit the scene of the crime. We stayed in the same hotel as five years ago. We took the same walk on the first morning of our break (I shall use the word break sparingly) and followed the path, just to visit the scene of my accident for the first time in five years.

All in all it was a nice walk. A brand new boardwalk had been built on the path and the area I fell down, that had been a rocky path down to a small beach, was now superseded by the boardwalk. The beach was still there, the path was still there, but with a boardwalk above it. The original path had also been flattened. The only thing that remained from the scene of my fall five years ago, were the rocks. Rocks that had now been laid out as a sort of scenic delineation between the sea and the path. When I fell, walking backwards to help my wife down this treacherous path, the rocks were at the bottom of a long and steep slope. All I did was turn and say to my wife, “I’ll go first and walk backwards, and guide you down.” Am I stupid? Apparently I am. I turned, put my hands up to hold her hands and WHAM! The rocks gave way. I fell and WHACK I was on my back wedged between two large rocks.

Rocks I fell on when on holiday

The picture above shows the area now, this taken last week. Now it’s all nice and neatly laid out and no chance of falling here. But those rocks can tell a story. Those rocks saw me fall and broke my ribs in no uncertain terms. Not only did I fall down and break seven ribs, I screamed like a baby when I finally came to rest.

Embarrassing? Yes. Not something I want to repeat, nor the fact that the ambulance called was a private one that took me to a private hospital and charged me four thousand Euros for the privilege.

Painful? Extremely, and not just on my ribs but also on my bank balance.

Copyright © Tom Kane 2024

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I write historical fiction novels. I have published five novels with six more planned in the Midnight Series. For more information on my books, why not join my newsletter.

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