SCL, You’re a great pal to Libby, just being there so she can rest without demanding her time.
Happy BearBirthday!!!
I did my good deed today. Actually Wife and I did sorta together.
My Cuz is in town from Sunny California with her husband and daughter. Her daughter is 16, and has come out the last couple years now with her water polo team. Their coach is from here and brings his girls, all HS age to his home town to play this tournament each summer. This is one of my favorite cousins, and lemme tell you, I have boxes of cousins, so that’s saying something.
HijackYourOwnThread: Ho-Lee crap, but water polo looks like a hellish game, and I played rugby. Water polo being rugby essentially, except you swim the whole time.
Anyway, we got there in the midst of their first game at about 8:15 am, watched them demolish some team about 19-8 or something, then ran to breakfast with Cuz and Hubby.
Watched a second game which they won equally as nasty, watched Cuz’s kid score a couple goals, then the fun started.
Soon as the second game was over, two of the girls on our team were standing up in the stands holding parts and crying. One holding her wrist, the other her shoulder. We’ll call them Shoulder Girl and Wrist Girl.
SG was loaned to the other team for the game (it’s a friendly tournament, just fun and exhibition, but STILL a very physical sport) and it seems her and WG tanlged during the game and WG’s right hand got bent backwards at a ridiculous angle. Seconds later, while she was still playing she reached for a ball and swung her elbow back into SG’s shoulder. (Apparently, this may be disputed, but it’s SG’s story)
Now, the coach and parents on hand (NONE of them being either girl’s, because SG’s parents were at some museum downtown, and WG’s mom didn’t make the trip) decide rightly that at the very least WG needs to go to the ER.
BIG swelling + tears = ER.
Since they all took the train to the school (UIC on Roosevelt), and I was pretty much the only ‘parent’ there with a car, I drove Cuz, WG and Wife to the ER. On the way there we got the phone call that SG was following by cab with her coach.
Bottom Lines are:
- WG is way way cool. Funny, passionate about her sport, clever, mature and a good person to spend FIVE hours in the ER with.
- WG is also way sad, as she left in a cast with a 'probable broken something or other bone in her wrist - )“scophoid - looked it up, TY Google)” and was supposed to go play in the Junior Olympics tourney next week.
- SG is a semi-whiny brat, who probably made up the “you elbowed me” story at her dad’s urging.
- SG’s dad is a pompous ass who almost got some fistage by being condescending and overbearing towards WG, who was hurt because SG leveraged WG’s arm during the play and caused the injury, even though it was inadvertent, it was preventable, especially when you’re playing against your own teammates in a friendly match with nothing on the line.
- SG probably can’t help the way she is, a judgment I reached after meeting her whiny dad who chose to give her grief because he HAD TO LEAVE THE MUSEUM TO COME TO THE F-ING HOSPITAL TO SEE HER, when after all they’d already come 2000 miles, ostensibly to see her play, and besides, why weren’t you AT THE FRIGGNG GAME TO BEGIN WITH ASSWIPE?
- SG also ‘might’ have a hairline fracture in her shoulder but they’re both going to see their own docs once they get home.
So, we finally get out of the ER, make a call and find the coach and the team are still at the pool, playing their 4th game of the day, when we walked in with both girls and Cuz.
During the next break in the action, the entire team yells “HEY SG, we’re winning this one for you!!!” Only time I felt moderately bad for SG, whom I found out is universally considered to be a not very committed, flighty, ‘doesn’t take it seriously’ teammate. This, on a team that considers you a freak if you DON’T get some kind of scholarship to swim in college.
As we left after the game, SG runs up to me and Wife, arm in a sling, hand in a cast, gives us both HUGE hugs and thanks us for being so cool, and keeping her company all day.
Now, I’m tired.
Up early tomorrow, going to stop at the cemetery, put some flowers on Dad’s grave (15 years tomorrow), then go to the ball game. After the game, meet Cuz and her husband again for dinner.
'Night.
Short version: “it depends.” Basically I object to assholes trying to force their values on me. I have no problem with people offering genuine help, in ways they know how.
