There was a soft clud and a clink. The room that was recently full of laughter and small talk was now full of crying, and not just anyone's crying, my crying.

It is now nothing but a confusing memory. I was about six, in first grade, I believe. The whole thing would have happened differently, had we been back in America. Fortunately, my dad was in the airforce and we were stationed in Germany, near Frankfurt.
Base housing had us living in an apartment complex. Across from us there was a young boy by the name of Matthew, if I recall correctly and I didn't understand back then but, he was a special needs child. Matthew couldn't talk but he was still very sweet in his own way. Besides Matthew, there weren't many families in the apartment complex, there was a family downstairs that was full of a few pre teen and teen skaters. Most residents were newly weds. There was this one couple that, if I recall correctly didn't like children and my parents didn't really like that couple. Well, anyway, our apartment complex had a family room in the basement where we could play and have parties. One day, the couple I mentioned decided to put their weight gym down there, of course everyone protested but the base granted them permission.

Every time a soldier and their family from our complex gets restationed, everyone would pitch in to throw a good bye party. It is here that the "incident" takes place. The family downstairs was moving and their party was to be in the family room, you know the one with the weight gym. My mom didn't go because she had some knee and ankle trouble.

So, my dad, brother, and I went down to the family room and enjoyed the party. My dad mingled with the other soldiers while my brother and I hung out with a friend whom I apologize for not remembering.

We sat in little plastic chairs, right in front of the weight machines with large, solid weights. Well, anyway, we were rocking back and forth because we found it quite fun. After a while, my dad saw us and came over.

"Stop rocking back and forth," he said in his stern, military voice, "do you understand? It isn't safe."

We told him okay and he gave us the I'm watching you and walked off. As soon as he left, I just kept on rocking, I am not sure wether it was because I felt like defying him or thought that he was kidding or what ever. Anyway, I kept rocking and rocking and this is where you came in.


There was a soft clud and a clink. The room that was recently full of laughter and small talk was now full of crying, and not just anyone's crying, my crying.

By now, I am sure you have guessed it, I rocked and fell backwards. And it would have been fine, if there hadn't been weights behind me. So, I fell and my head sort of cracked open and blood gushed out. Everyone was panicking while my daddy came rushing forward to examine the damage. As far as we can figure, my head hit the weight. You see, when my dad later examined it, there were spots of blood on the weight where I fell.

So, my dad caled the fire medical squad and they came lickety split while he ran upstairs to get my mom.

The fire squad was really nice and told me everything would be alright. If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't be here to write for you. They calmed me down while wrapping my head to stop the bleeding.

Then, I was taken to a nearby hospital, the American hospital had closed or something and I was taken to a German doctor. I had a beanie babie that helped to keep me calm. Apparently, the doctor inserted a huge, and I mean huge needle as my mom felt the pain for me.

After a while, everything was done and I had eight stitches, yes, EIGHT STICTCHES, not staples, STITCHES. He didn't even have to shave my head. When it was all over, he blew one of his gloves up like a baloon, drew a face and then drew eight stitches on the back. He also saved my life.

I was lucky, I didn't suffer any brain damage (that I know of) and I didn't fracture my skull

So, I did indeed pay horribly for not listening

I can't say I learned my lesson, but I hope other teens who read this will

Your parents may seem nagging but what they say and do is to protect and help us and if you don't listen, someday, you too will pay