Trampoline Trauma

A few years ago I ventured out by myself before daybreak to the Black Friday sale at WalMart. I've never gone before because I was always too exhausted from the day before. When I saw the ad for trampolines with full enclosures, I talked to Dale about it and we decided we'd buy one. I knew he would rather pay full price than get up that early, so I went. I was a few months pregnant with Deisha and in my rush to get out the door, I didn't eat anything. That was my first mistake.

Walmart was buzzing with people and smelled like fresh coffee and sausage biscuits from the in-store McDonalds. I hurried to find the trampolines with no idea how I would get it from the display to the car. Once I found them, I waited for a nice man in the crowd to load it into my cart for me, and then I hurried to the check out line. I paid for it, loaded in the truck, and I went back in for more. That was my second mistake.

I was lured in by the piles and piles of merchandise in every isle marked at nice rounded off prices like $20, $10, and $5. Starving by the time I arrived at the check-out relieved to have an end in sight. My line was moving incredibly slow, I'm sure they all were, but it seemed to move slower and slower the closer to the front I got. There were two people ahead of me when I started to feel dizzy. I had had this feeling many times before and knew I didn't have much time... but I was going to save soooo much money, I thought I could tough it out. While the person ahead of me waited for her items to ring up, I squatted on the floor trying to get my head as low as possible. I must have looked ridiculous, but it seemed to help. Only, every time I stood up, the swelling dizziness threatened to overtake me. I felt like I might throw up willing myself not to as I scanned the area around me for a small trash can just in case.

Somehow I managed to get to the front of the line without keeling over using the squatting and standing routine. The woman at the register in the sweetest British accent said, "Doing you exercises, Dear?" As I handed her my credit card, I mentioned that I felt a little sick. That was when the whole world went black.

I woke up to a circle of faces around me and someone saying, "Call an ambulance." It was just like it is in the movies. Out of sheer embarrassment, I got up as quickly as I could, grabbed my bags and ran out the door. A woman tried to stop me asking if I was okay, but I waved her off saying I needed some air and ran to my car. When the bags were loaded, I sat down in the drivers seat and cried. It was the most surreal moment in my life.

Looking back on that whole experience, I can honestly tell you it was worth it. I'd do it all over again for the sheer joy that filled my house when the kids opened that box on Christmas morning.

That was two Christmases ago, which is why I didn't lose it when I got the report that this had happened. A few weeks ago one of my neighbors dropped by and while we chatted in the living room, her kids and my kids piled up on the trampoline. A few more kids trickled in the back gate and the whole army of kids was jumping on the trampoline. At the bidding of the oldest kid, they all jumped at the same time which meant they all landed at the same time and rrrrntttt, there went our trampoline.

That kid already believed I didn't like him, so he took off out the back gate faster than he came in. I didn't seem him for a few days after that. I wasn't mad at all. Actually, it thrills my heart that my kids have enough friends to make this happen. It's a testimony of the goodness of God. I can't guarantee that they'll ever be in our backyard again; the only thing back there is sand, some patches of grass, and dog poop. But they still show up at the front door when they smell bread baking. That's good enough for me.