Bad Karma

The evening we returned home, following the pearl truck incident, my partner and I installed the battery in the truck. This should have been a simple, painless task except that the truck sits up high enough as to require a step ladder to complete the job. Knowing how clumsy my partner can be I took the lead on climbing the small ladder. Just as I looked over the edge of the truck down on the battery I noticed there was no strap handle on the battery already in the truck. Nice! I exclaimed sarcastically. My partner, stretching from the front of the truck, took the ratchet to the thingy (very technical term)  holding the battery in place, while I removed the battery cables. When the battery was loose I pulled the 55 pound battery up and out of the battery tray and handed it off to my lovely assistant. The battery, not having a handle was quite heavy and awkward. I had to position myself to be able to lift the battery up and out with both hands without scratching the truck, which I accomplished by precariously balancing myself with one foot on the step ladder and one foot on top of the front tire. Just as I handed the battery off, I slipped and tumbled off the tire and ladder straight down onto a railroad tie lining the driveway. I hit bottom first on the same cheek that is still bruised from last weeks fall down the steps. The force knocked the wind out of me and I tumbled off the railroad tie onto the asphalt drive, face first. My right arm was contorted oddly under my body and my right hand was visible on my left side, near my waist. I was in quite a bit of pain when guess who shows up with a slap on my butt cheek. Yep, the same person that pats choking victims on the back. I screamed every obscenity in the book to get her to stop touching me, but she insisted on "comforting me". Fortunately, for her, my arm was still contorted awkwardly under my body. I could hear her chuckling as I lay for several minutes with my face on the asphalt and I had not even given the all clear sign yet. You know what I'm talking about. The unspoken signal, inherent to all people, that lets others know that you are fine, after a fall, and that it is okay to laugh now. As I lay for several painful minutes contemplating the situation, it struck me, bad karma from the pearl truck incident!