THE SKY IS FALLING
By
Suzie Ambrose

The air was thick and heavy, an early indication of rain. My neighbour, Jack, was at the end of our driveway working with his small bulldozer. Two poplar trees had been taken down and before the deluge, we needed the area cleared. We also had a load of gravel slated to come that afternoon. Timing, timing, timing.

Everyone on the hill has a horse or large animal of some kind except us. We have had runaway horses in our yard, stray cattle, llamas - all kinds wandering through. The pathway that runs along the road was in dire need of fixing, as was the gate that bypassed the cattleguard.

My husband was supervising while Jack was bulldozing. Doing my good deed for the day, I took them a container of water. Our new puppy and I walked up to the road, and I signalled for Jack to stop. He nodded, eased the machine to a standstill, opened the window and asked if he could take the pup for a ride. I handed him over, and off they went.

Five minutes later, the dozer stopped to idle, and Jack motioned for me to come and get the dog. I walked down, stood in front and waited while he opened the door.

“CRASH!!!!” The bucket came down, clipping me on the back of the head.

My poor husband was standing on the road, watching, feeling helpless. However, badly shaken and relatively unhurt, all I received was a large knot on the back of my head. My daughter, a nurse, who happened to be visiting, took a look, and made me lie down for a while. She said I was lucky to have been hit on the hardest part of the skull. Any other place and it would have been fatal.

Poor Jack, he was physically sick, and felt terrible. He had forgotten the cardinal rule that the bucket should be lowered to the ground before you stop. When he reached for the door to open it, his knee hit the lever, and released the bucket.

Someone was looking after me that day, and I have thanked God every morning since.