Upon occasion I hear “only you”.
In my opinion too often.
Recently I experience such an incident that I’m surprised I survived. The catastrophic possibilities were endless.
I was home doing my normal home stuff when I needed to get something from the attic. This little piece of attic was up the stairs, down the hallway, into a bedroom, through a closet and finally the attic.
Farmer had just got home and I was scurrying around. I took off upstairs and the thought to grab my phone flitted across my mind. I swatted it away like an annoying fly. My thought “Oh, how have we gotten so attached to this piece of electronics? So much so that I can’t even go upstairs without it?” I was determined to forge a phoneless path.
The bedroom had boxes from Son #3. When he moved out of the house on the farm and into an apartment he deposited his “stuff” upstairs. I had neatly stored other stuff in the closet just outside the attic. I’d say the closet was stacked nice, neat and orderly.
I opened the attic door and wa-laa found what I was looking for. I entered the attic to retrieve whatever it was I was after. As I walked in and pulled the chain on the light I heard a muffled sound behind me.
I grabbed the said item, turned and proceeded to exit the attic – the cold, non-insulated attic. I pushed open the door to exit and nothing happened. I pushed again and nope. That muffled sound was one or more of those neatly stacked boxed up against the door.
No worries, I’ll just push harder.
Nothing changed.
Now worry.
I’m really not a dramatic person, really.
I began to assess my surroundings. There were a few empty suitcases and half-filled paint cans. I wondered if I would have enough strength to rip open the suitcases to guard myself (my body temp was dropping like a rock) from frostbite or worse yet freezing. The temp had to be at least 59°.
I realized there was no water! I could make it a couple hours without food, but no water. That turned this into an emergency.
It’s when you’re in these life and death places that you look back on your life and your choices along the way.
My first thought was “Why oh why must I try to be so brave and leave my phone behind?” I don’t need to prove my bravery. I mean I can go toe to toe with an animal that weighs close to a ton.
“Snap out of it” I told myself. I knew I was down to my last few days on earth if I didn’t do something fast.
Then I remembered Farmer was downstairs. Way downstairs and we all question his hearing skills. I knew if I didn’t get his attention then and he left the chances of being found by anyone before Sunday dinner was slim. I swear he can come home and be home for hours before he even notices I’m not there.
So, even though I have a gentil voice, I gathered all my strength and hollered. Again and again.
Finally, I heard a muffled “Where are you” in the distance.
“Hurray, I thought. I was minutes away from passing out from lack of nutrition and warmth. I mean, the sweatshirt and jeans I had on were just about useless against the 55° temperature. Yes, the temperature was falling as this event went on.
Then through the crack I heard and saw Farmer bust out laughing.
I had a hard time smiling back with my teeth chattering. My hands were numb from the 51° temperatures and couldn’t even grasp the door handle.
Finally, he put his phone down after taking a picture of my life threatening position.
After he struggled for several minutes (I doubt it would have been such a struggle if he wouldn’t have been wasting energy laughing) he moved the boxes away from my escape route.
As I was waiting for his embrace and “Oh my, I’m so glad I found you. I could never do life without you” he turned and as he was walking away he said, “You would have never ever gotten out without help. Those boxes were really wedged in there.”
That statement proves and confirms what I felt.
I just experienced a miracle. I was trapped in the attic for 10 minutes and survived.
I will be publishing my book at the beginning of the year and my agent will be fielding all phone calls from production companies.
