Miracle…..

February 1, 2007

I have to be honest - I didn’t hold up much hope - at the time of the explosion and all the chaos that went with you just switch to a different mode - everything seems instinctively methodical - once you get over the sounds and sights of the situation you just jump to the most logical next step - ie: get the fuck out of here and find a hospital.

Later I gathered my thoughts and all I was thinking was that having a wife and three kids and being blind in Africa was a shitty combination and that losing your eye sight over trying to mix chemicals to clean a swimming pool was thoroughly undeserved and shouldn’t ever happen.

Even though we arrived at Queens hospital pretty quick after the event, I thought we’d taken too long and lasting damage would be done - it looked really bad at the time - facial chemical burns are pretty fucked up - and the doctors assurances didn’t match the quality of the set up before me - I honestly thought Richard was well and truly fucked as far as the rest of life on gods green earth went.

But the gods were smiling that day - not smiling too wide however, as then it would never of happened in the first place, but fate had decreed a certain pattern of events were in order to lead to Richard getting his eyesight back - I saw him first thing Monday when I was back from the lake - up to then I’d seen him the Friday before and I’d heard assurances but still saw little hope - the half baked broken English talk amongst the guards back at the house was that he could see again and all would be Ok - but I still didn’t believe until I saw him after being discharged today - the left eye isn’t as strong as you’d hope - it works - but it isn’t the clearest - but the right looks like nothing ever happened - doctors reckon a week or two and the left will be back in action just as much - truly a miracle upon the continent that shows little mercy in such situations.

I paid the necessary and saw that he takes some days to recover properly - everyone is smiling again - you see it in the community outside around the houses on the street - everyone knows he’s going to be OK - there’s relief but more so there’s surprise - I was in Doogle’s bar the other day and met folk who heard the blast - no one could believe that he’s got his sight back.

Kind of weird when you piece together the path of fate - that I was home that day due to dodging potential tricky questions as the tax folk has scheduled to come to the main office - that I hadn’t set off to do the rounds and pay various bills just yet - that I got caught talking on the mobile just beforehand when if I hadn’t I’d of been on my way - there’s no phones in the house here or alternate forms of transport, so I’d of never known until I got back if I’d gone - the doctors said it was all a case of time and speed of treatment - another ten minutes and no chance - the man’s blind for life.

Fuck - that doesn’t bear thinking about - losing your sight is one thing - but losing it in Africa.......

Richard & his family were back at the house today - so happy to see he was Ok but still had a talk about what happened - first off being DON’T mix anything when I’m not here - even though you may have done it a million times, DO talk to the guy two doors down that said he knew what should of happened and how what took place was all wrong to begin with - and DON’T try mixing the same chemicals you already bought a second time round - take em back to where-ever or who-ever you got them from and make sure everything is as it should be, otherwise we are rewinding time and haven’t learned a thing.

In fact I’m sure there must be an easier way to do this kind of thing - he’s been following the same procedure (mixing Chlorine, acid and what ever) for a couple of years or so while the previous residents were here - says this is the first time anything’s ever gone wrong and that he was using the same stuff he’s always used - but something is rotten in Denmark somewhere - I had thought it was a sly one - that he’d taken the usual cash, but due to the change over of residents thought to buy something cheaper and pocket the extra - cynical indeed - but experience makes you so - however, all evidence suggests so far that this was one of those cruel twists of fate.

Basically in the end I just told him to be a hell of a lot more careful next time you are around situations that could potentially blow your head off.

Christ on a bike ringing the bells of St.Christopher..... if in doubt just leave it till there isn’t any.

Spo | February 1, 2007