We had a big long conversation about scars this weekend while we were sitting in the hot tub at the retreat.
My favorite is a two inch scar across my left knee that I got when I was 8? 10? When I was a kid, anyway. We were out at our friends' acreage and I caught it on a carpet tack sticking out of the corner as I skipped down the steps and turned to go out the door. It was the 70's - people had carpet on the walls. Maybe that trend died because I wasn't the only one getting scarred up. Or maybe just because how could it possibly last? Maybe that was a drug induced trend...
One thing I remember is hobbling out on crutches to where the other kids were playing volleyball or something, and getting ZERO sympathy. They just wanted to play with the crutches.
Another thing I remember is my parents disagreeing about me going to the hospital to get stiches or not. The virdict was no - I ended up with 3 bandaids across it. And it's a big beautiful scar today. My favorite. And I do have a few.
Part of why I like it so much is because of the 'other story.' As a counselor at summer camp as a teenager, I'd tell the campers how I got my scar:
"Well," I'd say, hesitating, "I play soccer, right? And it's a fairly physical game... sometimes it gets a little rough... So after this one game, this girl is waiting for me in the parking lot after. She starts to push me a bit, and I'm trying to walk away, cause I don't want to fight, then she pulls out this knife..." At this point the girl's eyes are wide and staring. "So she slashes at me," I mimic it, "and got me here."
"Really?" they would ask, and I'd reply, "No, but it's a better story than how it really happened!"
Ah, that scar.
PS - The title is lyrics from the Goo Goo Dolls.
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