Saturday, January 28, 2006

Oxymoronic

I fell flat on my face yesterday in the bar where I went to meet spouse after work. Because part of the seating area was slightly elevated, with a small step surrounding it, and the two "floors" were the same color, I didn't realize until it was too late.

It was just like when you're falling asleep and you have one of those awake-dreams that you step off the sidewalk, and you snap back wide-awake.

Only this was for real. Bunged up my wrist pretty bad, but nothing more than my ego was severely damaged. On the bright side, I received scattered applause.

And this was before any consumption.

This is just another example of my oxymoronic character. I am a dignified clutz.

I like to plan spontanaeity and I'm anxious to both start and finish a project. My appetite is behemoth, while my frame stays wiry.

And like many people, I have a disorganized method of organization.

Anyway, after I took a small bow, I found my seat next to spouse and ordered a drink. (Actually, it was a double.) I thought about Ella then.

I saw Ella Fitzgerald at the Hollywood Bowl about a decade ago and about half way through the show, she fell flat on her face, not having noticed the small step demarkating (what word do I want here? Delineating?) an elevated area of the stage where she had been throughout. Right in the middle of "Summertime" she rose from her seat and slowly moved downstage and SMACK, fell flat on her face. The entire audience gasped and people rushed out from the wings. She was dazed but insisted on staying and continuing. She brushed herself off, and finished the show. I read later that she had suffered a fracture from it.

And so I forgot about the pain and humiliation and enjoyed a lovely evening with friends. This morning though, my body is reminding me that I am injured. Darnit.

8 comments:

_Psycho said...

Nothing more worst than these sneaky elevated parts.

Impressive for the show thought, more artist would have stopped I bet. (It had to hurt a lots).

Well off to move~

Snooze said...

This is excellent because now for klutzes everywhere we can just tell ourselves that we are following in the footsteps of Ella. I hope your wrist heals soon.

Holly said...

not too long ago i fell in front of my sons' school. hurt like hell. my biggest concern was not the pain, but whether anyone saw me, recognized i was my kids' mom and teased them about it.

no one ever said anything about it, thank god.

i am decidedly a klutz.

Chunks said...

I went to the washroom in a bar once and this Barbie doll walked in and looked at me like I was some kind of troll that didn't deserve to be in the same room. Imagine my glee when moments later, she emerged from the bathroom and as she was walking across the totally packed bar, she fell flat on her face! (On a FLAT floor!)

Sweet justice! (I'm evil that way...)

Sorry you wiped out! They really shouldn't elevate floors in bars, it's hazardous!

Jess said...

Applause? Well, I hope they applauded when you got up and they saw you were okay, because applauding for the fall is just mean... although I have to admit to chuckling at the thought of... Summertiiiiiiiime, and the living is *bam*

Yeah, okay I'm bad. So spank me. Spank me hard! Oh yeah, like that!

(Think I had too much coffee this morning?) ;)

Adam said...

If I had that moment I would have thought real hard about staying at the bar or going. You are a dignified clutz.

Patricia said...

a person's quirky dichotomies are often what makes them most interesting to me. and god, i just love the word nerd in you. honest, i do.

epicurist said...

Ouch.I am also a klutz. I've been known to walk into windows and stuff.