Labor Day

Things never work like we think they're going to.
I got to Winchester around noon. Held a baby, petted dogs, laughed at the boys, piled in the jeep and manuevered through Labor Day traffic.
The boys turned on rap music in the jeep and danced and laughed. The wind was in my face and the sun was shining and it felt good.
Today, I told Liza, might just be a good day.
We got to the Gorge and walked down a trail to what can only be called a watering hole. An embankment on one side, a large boulder on the other. I sat down on a log and pulled out my camera. Isaac headed straight for the rope swing. As we had walked up, we had seen another man swing into the water and land with a great whoop and a splash. So Isaac held onto the rope, pushed off the first tree...
I caught him mid-air with my lens. Hanging, suspended, horizontally above the water. Perfect shot.
But something had gone wrong. He had caught his foot as he pushed off the tree... this snag had sent him spinning. And before he could let go of the rope, his torso slammed against the second tree.
It sounded like a gunshot.
And he fell into the water.
We all paused.
He came up out of the water, heaving and spitting.
Liza and Kayla ran to him, while Caleb and I stood back... a little stunned.
Isaac's shoulder was bleeding. The breath had been knocked out of his lungs and he couldn't stand up. Everyone else at the watering hole had paused, holding their own breath. Then unwanted advice came tumbling out of their mouths. Caleb and I went down to the water's edge where Isaac sat.
Caleb started to get pissed.
He yelled at Liza.
He shot me a dirty look.
We picked up Isaac and his stuff, and began walking barefoot back to the car.
Five minutes in the Gorge.
Caleb cussed and fumed and barked.
Isaac nodded off in the front seat, muttering something about fluid in his lungs. Kayla tried to keep him awake as we made phone calls to Molly and Craig and Clark Regional.

Six hours later, Isaac has been transfered to UK for seven broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Caleb has continued to yell and blame.
Isaac is supposed to get married on Saturday and be deported for basic training in less than three weeks.
Liza called me later... amidst all the confusion and chaos.
I remembered my words. "This just might be a good day."

I am alone now. Everyone's out on a date, at their parents' house, or far far away. I went driving earlier and saw a fox. He stood in the middle of the road... tall and skinny and curious. I slowed my car down, wondering if somehow I could get a picture of him. He looked at me, cocked his head, and dashed for the brush on the side of the road. When I drove back later... he was there again. I pulled my car into neutral and sat in the road waiting for him to move. With a flick of his tail he was gone again...

The fox reminds me of Caleb.

Happy Labor Day.