Stupid Should Hurt

Yesterday, because I rushed it even though I should know better, I stapled myself. It’s fascinating how it works. The staple coming out of my pneumatic staple gun, goes into my finger -not all the way, but deep enough to make an impact and then…nothing.

No blood, no pain, just a weird feeling. The bleeding doesn’t start for about one minute. It’s like your whole system is in shock and nature gives you a little bit of time to run -as fast as you can. Direction faucet, and on your way you better pick up some Band-Aids and Neosporin, because you will need it.

Come to think of why don’t we store the Band-Aids close to the kitchen sink, we end up washing out wounds big or small there anyway? But no, that would be too logical I suppose. Our Band-Aids, the goofy ones I insist on buying, are stored in a small cabinet in the guest bathroom and so I run. I made it, mainly because it’s not my first RODEO. From my workroom to the guest bathroom and in the kitchen in under 50 seconds. A new record!

It goes like this. I staple myself, I drop the staple gun, run into the bathroom, grab the Band-Aid and run to the kitchen sink. Why I don’t use the sink in the bathroom? I don’t know. It has to happen in the kitchen. It’s one of the childhood memories I have -everything happened in the kitchen. Nobody takes care of you in bathroom. The kitchen is the center of the house and that’s where you go.

I made it to the sink before the blood started to pour out of me. How come small punctures like this bleed so much?

Then, after washing it and putting pressure on it, I finally put my pirate Band-Aid on, which I wear with pride. Arrrgh! Then it starts hurting and I can feel my pulse in my finger.

I work with my staple gun every day. I tell my students to watch out for their fingers. I give them instructions on how to hold, and how to load the staple gun. I tell what not to do and then when I am alone I forget everything and act like a total Muppet.

Accidents happen. They happen because even think we know exactly what to do, but decide to do it different anyway. We don’t pay attention for a split second and that’s all it takes.

It hurts like hell and I feel sorry for myself.

Good, because stupid has to hurt! That’s how we learn (or not.)