THE SHOW AT MAIN AND CENTER STREETS

There was a show at the corner of Main and Center Streets in front of the Post Office. I had the starring role. Here’s the story. Saturday, Juli called me from the IFA store and said they had some red currant bushes and did I want them? I went down to take a look. They were gorgeous plants and I thought—oh, good! After they start bearing, I can make the red currant jelly for our Thanksgiving Snow Pudding. Also, they had some flat-leaf parsley plants and some good looking tomato plants. We probably can’t plant them until after Memorial Day week-end because the weather is supposed to be cold again, but the plants were really moving out of the store so I thought I should get them and bring them home.

Juli offered to load the plants into the back of her car since (she said) the floor was already dirty and no need to get the back of my van dirty. I said, “Okay.” Then Juli told me she would drop her sister, Alisa, off at her home and then come over to my house and leave the plants. I told her I’d meet her at my house. The thought ran through my mind that maybe I had enough time to stop by the Post Office, get my mail and make it home by the time Juli got there. So, I stopped by the Post Office and parked in front. I hurried in and got my mail and was rushing out so I wouldn’t make Juli wait. Now, let me stall the story here for a moment while I tell you that I normally stop at the side of the Post Office, not in front. I didn’t think it would make that much difference. It did. You see, when I walk out the door to go to my car I only put one foot on the mat that is outside of the door and step right onto the concrete. Since I had to go another direction, I had to take two or three steps on the mat. I guess I didn’t pick up my right foot high enough and caught my toe in the rubber of the mat and fell headlong on my face. No one was more surprised than I to find me on the ground. I just lay there for a few seconds trying to assess the damage. I had a couple of spots that hurt but I decided there were no broken bones. I also thought, if I lay here long enough, I can get back up by myself. BUT, I also thought, “Oh, good grief, someone is going to see me.” Someone did see me and stopped to help. It was a lady whose face was familiar to me but I couldn’t think why her face was familiar nor could I think of her name. She offered to help me. I wasn’t sure how she could. I hadn’t had time to think how I would get off the ground if someone offered to help. I made a futile attempt to get up and fell back. The lady asked whether she should call the ambulance and I said, “No, I don’t think I need the ambulance.” Then she said, “Would you like me to call Tal?” Immediately, I was reassured that I was home. Another stranger knew who I am and where I belong. Immediately, I felt an almost overwhelming feeling of thankfulness for the decisions that we have made in my behalf.

Well, to make what could really be a long story, short, I was able to get my left leg underneath me, the lady lifted me under my right arm and I stood upright. After she determined that I was probably okay to drive home, she let me go. Juli was already unloading my stuff when I got home. I told her about my fall. After she satisfied herself that perhaps I was okay, we laughed as I told her that the lady asked whether she should call Tal.

Today, Monday, Tal called me and said, “I didn’t know you fell.” I asked him who told him. He said, “Mom, you live in a small town.” Then he told me the lady’s name: Melanie Grundy. I asked him whether she lives in the Loa Ward and he told me she lives in Lyman. Then I wanted to know why she looked familiar and he said, “She works at the bank.” Ah! Mystery solved.

Am I okay? Yes, I am okay. I have a few bruises on my body but they don’t begin to add up to the number of bruises to my ego.

When I was a senior in High School I had the leading role in the school musical. I had begun to think that would be my only public performance. But---ta-da-I have another leading performance to add to my resume’. My singing role was a whole lot more fun but it was nowhere nearly as dramatic as my performance at the corner of Main and Center Streets in Loa, Utah.