Thursday, July 2

It's hard to believe it's only been 3 weeks since Jake's accident. It felt like months at times. And to see his progress makes the whole thing doubly unbelievable. He's started getting out and about again, yesterday over to his friend Brandon's and the other evening out with his friend Giovanna to see "The Hangover."

The next big hurdle will probably be to get out behind the wheel. I don't think there's any reason he can't drive at this point, other than maybe a still stiff neck that might prevent him from being able to check his blind spots. But I don't see a problem; he'll be driving a truck, so anyone riding in his blind spots will do so at his or her own peril.

I am off work today (mandatory furlough day) and tomorrow is a company holiday. Under normal circumstances I would probably be planning some sort of barbeque for the 4th of July, but I think that pulled pork or baby back ribs or smoked brisket might violate Jake's rights under the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of these United States, not something to be taken lightly on Independence Day. I think I will be going with Chile Verde, which Jake should be able to handle by pushing the envelope of his liquid diet.

Over the course of the preceding weeks, people have occasionally asked about whether Jake was wearing helmet or why he wasn't wearing a helmet. One of the hospital staff asked Jake what type of helmet he was wearing and he replied "hair and flesh" or something to that effect.

Clearly he should have been wearing a helmet, but I can't say the outcome would have been significantly better. For all we know a helmet might have saved his face but broken his neck.

In any case, I was past caring about that as soon as we saw him in the ER. I mean had he broken his arm and "Oh, by the way, wasn't wearing a helmet" he still wouldn't be sitting from his ass chewing. As it was he had followed the rule that I, my friends and siblings used to espouse; "If you're going to have an accident doing something stupid, make sure you're hurt badly enough to avoid a beating."

And I am certainly not in the position to cast the first stone. I mean, who among us (all right, what MALE among us) hasn't done something that in retrospect didn't seem pretty dangerous, at best moronic and maybe completely insane.

A small example; as kids, my friends and I came up with the bright idea to simulate carrier landings with a flexi-flyer and a rope. This was a version of the Flexible Flyer sled, but with wheels - it was Southern California after all. The plan called for the pilot to ride face first down our hill while two other kids held the rope "arresting gear" across the sidewalk. As the sled approached, the rope would be raised, catching the wheels and stopping the sled. Now I can hear some of you (mostly women) saying "This sounds like a bad idea" and, sure enough, the over-zealous arresting team yanked the rope too high, up and across the pilot's neck. I don't remember the kid's name, but I pretty clearly recall the sound that escaped his throat and the resulting rope burn. If we had just had a slightly thinner rope and a slightly steeper hill we could have gone for the full decapitation.

It is a male thing; we are afflicted with testosterone; a dangerous substance which should be used wisely. The cruel joke is that it is most prevalent in young men, for whom wisdom is not frequently a strength. As males we achieve Wisdom by surviving all the testosterone induced catastrophes of our youth.

In the end I don't think I would change any of what's happened even if I could. If he'd avoided crashing that particular trick he might have killed himself on a harder one. As it is he can hope for a full recovery and a new found share of wisdom.