Nothing Hurt But My Pride

Today in NWA, we've been getting our fair share of a torrential downpour that just adds to the already bloated flood levels of area lakes & streams. Of course when it's this wet, everything stays wet and slick.

I found this out the hard way...literally.

I realized that my Sequoia was at the point it needed it's normal servicing so I thought today's just as good as any day to bring it in, especially with it raining. My outdoor activities were already going to be postponed 'til later in the week so I drove over to the local Toyota dealer.

They motioned me into their covered "drop-off" area and I was greeted by several of the attendants there who've come to recognize me. Plenty of smiles and waves and I pulled up to my "drop off" point. The head guy came out to find out what I needed done and he began to check off things on his clipboard.

As I opened my door and grabbed my phone & iPod, I stepped out onto the floor. Apparently, this floor is not made of concrete or anything that "grabs" the bottom of a slick tennis shoe.

No, this floor is coated with a fine waxy surface that obviously remains extremely slick during wet days...which I found out almost immediately.

As my foot hit the floor, it quickly slipped out from underneath me and I watched in slow motion as my book and iPod flew into the air and my legs collapsed under me. I landed (hard) in a heap just inches away from the truck's running boards, which nearly clipped me in the back of the head.

Almost immediately, the attendant dropped his clipboard and wrapped his arms around me to help me up.

"Are you OK" he asked extremely concerned.

"Yeah, I think so" I muttered. "Nothing hurt but my pride."

"Are you sure" he asked again, probably nervous I was going to start chiming off about litigation and free oil changes just for starters.

"Yeah, I'm OK" I repeated as I rubbed my backside and dusted myself off. "I think I'm fine...really."

"OK...if you're sure..." he replied quite pensively.

I walked over to the waiting area where the throbbing of my sudden landing began to ebb from the bottom of my...well...bottom toward my spine and eventually stopped at the base of my skull. It wasn't anything too severe but it really was sore.

Good thing I'm a fan of Panera's bagels, huh? I think the extra padding underneath helped cushion the blow.

The Toyota manager came over about 5 minutes later with a look of concern etched deeply across his face. I suppose he was bracing himself for a possible tirade about unsafe conditions for patrons of his dealership.

He said he'd just been informed of my little spill and he wanted to be sure I was OK. I reassured him I was and realized that my "Panera bagel" line was going to be my patent answer to anyone who asked. It seemed cute, funny and disguised any legitimate pain I might have been in.

He told me that if I was hurt or needed anything to not hesitate to let him know. I wondered what he'd say if I told him a new silver 2008 Toyota Sequoia 4x4 would help ease the pain. Common sense said to keep it to myself...which I listened to.

After about 20 minutes, they called me to let me know my Sequoia was finished and I could pick up the keys at the desk. Of course, one more time, another attendant asked me if I was OK and if there was anything I needed. I reassured him I was fine and went to the well one more time with my "Panera bagel" line.

I think he only laughed to be polite and to get me out of the dealership before I changed my mind.

Jennifer laughed when I told her about it but I knew she didn't have to be polite about anything. Still, she did offer me a bit of consolation and said the line every doctor tells their patients...

"Go home, take some Tylenol and take it easy."

Hey, at least she didn't say it was a "viral thing".