12. I had my right hand ripped open by my cousin’s pit bull, Bud.
The events were these: My family was visiting my grandparents in Montgomery, Alabama for some random occasion. My two older cousins, Becky and Keli, were there and they had a pit bull named Bud that stayed at my grandparent’s house.
Becky, Keli, and Joe were out on the back porch playing with Bud and I was making myself useful by sweeping the dirt from the porch, when I notice Bud nipping at Becky’s hand. Well, I gave Bud a gentle swat on his hind in with the broom hoping that would make him stop. It did not, so I hit him a little harder. I know what you’re thinking, “Not a good idea, Grimes!” and you’re so right. The next thing I know that dog had his teeth clamped down on my right hand and we were playing tug of war with it. He was going one way and I was trying to pull my hand out of his mouth. I screamed bloody murder and Mother came running out after me. Bud finally let go of my hand and she scooped me up, put me in our van and we were headed with Daddy to the ER.
Once there, they took me right in and put me on a table. The doctor proceeded to check out my hand to see that, even though the top of my hand was ripped open, everything inside was intact. It was fine, but I was obviously going to need a few stitches. Getting stitches was going to require some novocain injected directly into my open wound and that’s exactly what they did. Yeah, it hurt, but it was hurt on top of hurt at that point. I got three stitches for my trouble and eventually a very nice scar.
When we got back to my grandparent’s house, I showed off my battle wound and Mother beat that dog. Now you dog people who maybe reading this, don’t get it twisted. The dog lived to bite another day, just not anyone in my family. Papa ended up giving Bud away and I’m sure Mother had something to do with it.
Dog bites, whether provoked or not, create defining moments in our lives. Luckily, I have not been bitten; however, my dad was attacked by two German shepherds that shredded his arms before one was killed. I will never forget seeing those scars and imagining his horror.
ReplyDeleteI know you must be devastated that your hand model career was ended even before it really got started! God does know best since those hand models look really dumb walking around with gloves at the beach! The only upside is not having to do housework and cooking. Oh well, you've done well despite your disfigurement! LOL
It's a good thing I didn't have a gun. You don't mess with my young'uns! - Mama
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