ANNARCHY - Latest Comments in In Case of Emergency

Re: In Case of Emergency

Gary Cohen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:39:19 -0000

Ann,

You have an uncanny knack of not only writing so well but peeling the onion in a way that brings us closer.

Thanks for sharing.
Gary

Re: In Case of Emergency

Angela — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:02:39 -0000

What a horrifying situation. It reminds me of this one time I took a bus into the wrong town, and couldn't find a bus back out, and actually walked myself through the steps of creating a life there.

I'm happy you're free and didn't have to resort to spitting on your leg. (You know, for lubing purposes.)

Re: In Case of Emergency

GiGi — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:41:43 -0000

Ann,
Another great story. And again, I was there seeing it all through your writing. How did you create such a funny story while also telling us about your imagined and real losses? Thank you for opening up all of this and making me laugh...and pause. As was already mentioned, you are quite wonderful!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Writer Mama — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:03:33 -0000

I once fell through a cattle grate (those giant sewer-grate looking things that you see at auto gates in the Southwest), had a jolt of adrenaline pass through my body and then almost passed out. Luckily my leg wasn't broken! Seems unbelievably mean to do to animals. Anyway, after I talked myself down, er, up, much as you did here, I was able to pull myself out and limp back to the ranch where I was living.

Legs should come with a warranty.

Anyway, came by to congratulate you on making Michael Selzner's short list!

Congrats!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Jack Kuperman — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:46:04 -0000

While reading, I stayed there with you and thought too : "what are the chances of this happenning?"

Thanks for your blog.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Julie — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:50:28 -0000

Ann, two words -- knee pads! I have a bannister similar to yours but am in no danger of a limb sliding through. I am convinced, though, that someone will eventually go sailing over it and break their ever lovin' neck someday (as the kids grow taller, I feel this likelihood increases). After enduring a soul-crushing loss, anything really does seem possible. All of the safety walls come tumbling down and you feel exposed to everything. It takes a long time to rebuild. So glad you made it.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Jean Gogolin — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:28:18 -0000

Found your blog through Michael Selzner's contest, and I love it. You are one fine writer with an amazing ability to make your readers imagine and empathize -- which for me is the secret to good writing.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Romi — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:06:11 -0000

*ouch*...I too was thinking that the introduction of some lubricants would be inevitable, but luckily you escaped without a mess, hope your pancake bruise is all healed now!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Sonia Simone — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:58:31 -0000

Tears in my eyes about your son. I love this story, love the mix of absurdity and much-too-harsh reality and your daughter being a mensch and not laughing and the scary ease with which I can picture myself stuck the same way (and, of course, slowly starving to death, because I'm a horribilizer of the first degree).

I think you're really wonderful.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Christian Gulliksen — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:07:23 -0000

Next time something like this happens, you can play it off as avant-garde performance art. Really intellectual stuff you don't expect anyone to "get." Claim it's a metaphor for...uh...US foreign policy...yeah, that's it. Super deep. Wow.

Re: In Case of Emergency

David Brazeal — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:22:49 -0000

Ann, this is such a great story. You're an amazing writer! Thanks for taking the time to write and share it.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Cam Beck — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:59:33 -0000

Sometimes I fancy that some people worry too much. My wife in particular, worries about what ailment we might all contract if I wash a dish in a sink that just had some raw chicken scraps in it.

Your story about your son, though, hit a little close to home. I had no idea, and I'm very sorry.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Morriss Partee — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:06:44 -0000

I think I've gotten my knee stuck in places like that before. One thing to keep in mind if that ever happens again is that the knee changes width depending on how much it is flexed - more flex equals wider knee, which can be a big reason why it will go in and then not want to come back out. So trying to straighten the knee should also help it come back out.

But anyway, this is a great post, very well written, and I think so popular because everyone can relate! (Well, everyone who owns a knee or two anyway.)

And sorry to learn about your son. I can't imagine how tough that must be as a parent.

Re: In Case of Emergency

whatsnext — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:53:40 -0000

WHEN can we buy your book? You are such an astoundingly good writer.

I am so sorry to learn about your son. And heartened that you have kept your sense of wonder and joy even after that.

Keep writing Ann. You know we'll be reading.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Bdot — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:03:35 -0000

Funny!

Note to Caroline and Emily:
next time, grab the FLip, Evan's duct tape and the Sharpies.......

You just might need something on old mom sometime

Re: In Case of Emergency

Amy Flanagan — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:30:49 -0000

Wow, Ann.
In a few short paragraphs you have captured why I simultaneously laugh at and hate myself for swerving off I-93 in a panic one exit before heading into the tunnel. Does panic over the ridiculous things exist to keep our minds off a terror deep inside of what could actually happen?
I am very sorry for your son.
And very happy to have gotten to know you.
Amy

Re: In Case of Emergency

Karen Swim — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:00:17 -0000

Ann, you are a wonderful storyteller and you can count on me buying that book the minute it is available! Thank you for opening your life and sharing the joys and pain that are so integrally woven into our life stories. I'm sorry for the loss of your son. Those big scary things that happen in life are the hardest from which to recover but they also help us to see the ridiculous in their proper light. I have faced the scary so I don't worry about those things but like you I can spin a yarn about ridiculous scenarios. It is one reason I cannot watch medical mystery shows!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Toby — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:10:08 -0000

Ann -Love your annarchy stories. Each one is a little piece of the puzzle of life. I'm online for a copy of that book!

Re: In Case of Emergency

The Franchise King — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:09:55 -0000

Ann,
As usual a great piece.
{Unlike the piece of flesh you left in the railings}
I, too, was sideswiped by a car, and was sent flying a few feet. Weird.
Most importantly though, I didn't know about your son.
I am so sorry.
Joel

Re: In Case of Emergency

Shelley Greenberg — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:38:52 -0000

Great read, Ann, thanks.

I'm with Brogan and Ann Kingman - you NEED to weave all these in to a book. You're too good a writer not to!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Dana Ironside — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:08:05 -0000

How is that these banisters allow an extremity to go through but not come back out? I mean it's the same width going in either direction!? I had a friend whose 2 year old put his head through her stair banisters (ok he was 2 and you are just a bit older) and they had to call the fire department to cut him out! Thank god it didn't have to go there for you or that fire department might have had a good laugh at your expense (and pain).

Glad you are ok! Now, we're going to have to talk later about that anxiety you are dealing with from time to time! :)

Re: In Case of Emergency

Ann Handley — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:09:18 -0000

Thanks for the comments, all. I appreciate each and all of you stopping by... and leaving your two pesos.

What is coolest for me is when people read their lives in my stories. As much as it's about me, and my experiences... at the same time, it isn't.

If you know what I mean.

And by the way, everyone should know that I WAS armed with a cell phone. So I definitely could have called at any point for help. That, and the total time lapsed in this story was *maybe* 10 minutes. And that's a generous estimation!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Jan Richards — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:12:42 -0000

I was intrigued by your title, then soon laughing at the trying-to-rein-in-ping-pong-balls-conversation. And, well, I recognized an aspect or two of myself as I read.

The police cruiser story and the story about your toddler son (I am so very sorry!) started me thinking about the what-are-the-odds-but-it-happened experiences in my life.

A phrase my mother used to say was, "We're always good for an adventure!" My mother's life irretrievably changed when my older sister was born with cerebral palsy, probably the result of her very traumatic birth. Mom tried to eliminate adventure from her life as much as she could after that, and tried to scrub adventure-seeking out of her kids (it didn't work).

But if adventure found my mother? Then the spirit of adventure would suddenly, solidly, and somewhat merrily kick in. What's more, the spirit of spontaneity - gusto, even - would spread to the people with whom she shared the unexpected experience. That was always fun, and memories of the spontaneous teams that formed around these adventures affected me in positive ways - more than she might have expected.

Thanks for your story of the ornery baluster grip, Ann, the rescue by your daughter and her friend, and the history behind your "what are the odds, but it could happen" worrying. It was illuminating and thought-provoking, in many ways, as your writing always is.

Re: In Case of Emergency

Deb — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:06:04 -0000

I can TOTALLY see myself doing exactly that including the wondering about someone covering me come rain if I can't get out. Glad the girls were able to free you and you didn't have to deal with a laughing EMT crew! Keep up the great posts!

Re: In Case of Emergency

Larissa Gaston — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:16:34 -0000

Not to be all male problem solving, but I probably would have gone for the lubricant and brute force, then you might have avoided the angry scrapes - although I'm sure they look lovely with the bruises, not to mention increase your tough factor.:) I hate to admit it but I sometimes irrationally worry (there I said it, but I won't worry that I said it). And the next time I find myself going there I'll remember your story and remind myself there's no need to panic - on the balcony or anywhere else.