Accidents happen,

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Lieutenant
Joined
Nov 16, 2002
Messages
1,408
So, as most know I go to a tech high school, auto body shop.<br /><br />All of us in the shop get along pretty good, We all like each other and talk and hang out out of school. Being we are all pretty tight, during shop we all mess around with each other quite a bit, too much actually.<br /><br />Well, today one of my classmates jumped on my back from behind. I'm 5'9 maybe 135 pounds, he's maybe 5'6 190 pounds, not really a fat kid, but a husky build. My first reaction was to flip him over my shoulder, I didn't even know who it was at first. I somehow got him from my back, over my shoulder and on to the hard concert floor. I really dropped him good. It wasn't like I was mad at him, just my first reaction.<br /><br />Well, the landing wasn't so good. He couldn't get up on his own, I could really tell he was in quite a bit of pain. At first I thought maybe he was joking, but he wasn't, I realized that when I watched him struggle to get into the chair we brought him.<br /><br />Matt had to call his mother, because he wasn't able to drive himself to the hospital. He went for X-rays and found he has a pretty bad slipped disk. They gave him pain meds, sent him home and told him to lay flat for 5 days, then they'll see what happens, or if anything needs to be done.<br /><br />I felt really bad about it, but didn't get in trouble to anything. Matt knew I didn't mean to do it, and it was kinda his fault, but it still sucks. I know a slipped disk is kinda a big deal and could bother him the rest of his life.<br /><br />In a attempt to clear my conscience I bought him a pack if cigarettes and delivered them to him, I also moved his car from school to a friends house where he could get it.<br /><br />Well,<br />That's my story for the day. Lets all hope Matt gets better and doesn’t have any long term prolbems.
 

don flowers

Seaman
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
52
Re: Accidents happen,

Ryan, we all do some not so smart things when we are young. I'm sure after reading your post that you learned a very valuable lesson. I did something very much like this when I was a younger guy, and to this day I still remember the episode. Treat this as a hard lesson learned, and hope it goes no further. Sorry we have to learn these things the hard way. Don
 

JamesCoste

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 15, 2003
Messages
595
Re: Accidents happen,

Accidents do happen.<br /><br />During my senior year in high school, a buddy of mine and I went canoing down a small river in South Alabama (Choctahatchee). We got hot and decided to jump in the muddy river where it looked real deep. My buddy went first (feet first) and the water must have been 12 feet deep because he didn't hit the bottom.<br /><br />He swam to the side of the canoe and hung on while I took off my shirt and prepared to enter the water. As I prepared to jump in, he pushed the canoe forward and I lost my balance and went in head-first. We had drifted about 20 feet and there was a large rock not 2 feet under the water.<br /><br />I hit it head-first and was unconscious and bleeding from the top of my head. My buddy managed to get me in the canoe and paddle the remaining 4 miles to the boat landing. As I lay in the bottom of the canoe, I regained consciousness to hear him praying the most sincere prayer a 17 yo had prayed.<br /><br />He was very apologetic, but I survived with 17 stitches and a shaved head later (and a heck of a head/neck ache).<br /><br />He remained a close friend for years; however, I never went canoeing with him again.<br /><br />I hope your friend improves.
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Accidents happen,

Sorry that happened, Ryan, but I don't see an accident.<br /><br />I see Matt daring fate and losing. Call it an expensive lesson for him and an undeserved guilt trip for you.<br /><br />One of my favorite quotes is from a stand-up comedian/philosopher from the 50s, "Brother" Dave Gardner: "There aint no such thing as an accident. There is only premeditated carelessness."<br /><br />In this case it was Matt who was careless, not you. I feel for him because he is young and naive about the risk he was taking. It would be unreasonable to expect you to do anything else if someone jumps you by surprize.<br /><br />You deserve respect for accepting responsibility, but I don't see you at fault at all.
 

ZmOz

Captain
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
3,949
Re: Accidents happen,

Shoot first, ask questions later. ;) One time a friend jumped out in front of me and I threw him down so hard it broke his collar bone. Now he knows I don't like surprises. :eek: :D
 

BoatBuoy

Rear Admiral
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
4,856
Re: Accidents happen,

"One of my favorite quotes is from a stand-up comedian/philosopher from the 50s, "Brother" Dave Gardner: "There aint no such thing as an accident. There is only premeditated carelessness.""....JB<br /><br />In Bro Dave's context, it sounds funny, but that is exactly the position of safety engineers/inspectors. There is no such thing as an unpreventable accident.<br /><br />Ah, and I remember Bro Dave Gardner, "commode-huggin', knee-walkin',...." oh, never mind the rest.
 

PW2

Commander
Joined
Apr 21, 2004
Messages
2,719
Re: Accidents happen,

Yep, that was, as JB said, Premeditated carelessness.<br /><br />I am curious, however. What was your shop teacher's reaction to this? He seems to be condoning an atmoshere where practical jokes are accepted, and as such he could/should be putting his own job in jeopardy.<br /><br />Just an instructive real world note. In the work world, a supervisor who would condone this sort of thing and not severely punish the participants (both you and Matt), if he worked for me would be fired.<br /><br />Accidents do not just happen. There is always a cause. <br /><br />Sometimes, they are unavoidable. This was not one of those times. I'm not suggesting it was your fault specifically, but it was definitely avoidable.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,030
Re: Accidents happen,

Thankfully, younger people heal faster. <br /><br />Even during my tenure in the Army people got hurt during horseplay. We all live and learn and some lessons are just more exspensive.
 

lakelivin

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Aug 19, 2004
Messages
1,172
Re: Accidents happen,

Originally posted by Ryan T.:<br /> ....In a attempt to clear my conscience I bought him a pack if cigarettes and delivered them to him, I also moved his car from school to a friends house where he could get it.<br />....
Don't take this as preachy, but if you really want to help him, help him quit smoking now, when he's only 17. The longer he goes the harder it gets. Of all my friends that smoke (I'm quite a bit older than you), all except one wish that they could quit and immensly regret not doing so when thy were much younger, when it would have been alot easier.<br /><br />Just a thought, please ignore if so desired rather than get offended.
 

magster65

Commander
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
Messages
2,573
Re: Accidents happen,

I'm with Lakelivin, do him a bigger favor and throw those smokes away.
 

POINTER94

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
5,031
Re: Accidents happen,

Hey Ryan,<br /><br />Nothing cool at all about smoking. I have put an axe through one foot and broke the other in three places. Spent a little time in jail, got the crap beat out of me, been fired half a dozen times, divorced, and the worst thing I ever did was take up smoking by a huge margin. I am a pack a day + smoker and I am having the worst time quitting. The pain Matt is going threw with his back, is nothing compared to the pain of having to quit smoking. I can in no stronger words, tell you to stop pretending to be cool and be a true friend. Give Matt something he can really use - a good friend. <br /><br />As for the accident, it isn't your fault and when you mess with the bull you get the horns.
 

TwoBallScrewBall

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Sep 14, 2003
Messages
1,695
Re: Accidents happen,

That's funny, because when we first started dating I did that to my wife. I snuck up behind her and just grabbed her around the belly in a reverse bear hug, and she grabbed my arms and bent forward, lifted me off the ground and dropped me like a sack of potatoes over her head onto the floor in front of her. Same thing, just a reaction, happened in a split second. <br /><br />Gotta marry a woman who can suplex you. <br /><br /> :)
 
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