It was a hot July summer day

I was five years old
Swimming at my grandparents
Hanging out with my friend

My grandfather was constructing a deck around the pool
Kelly and I were trying to jump in the pool from the ground.
We took running starts
It wasn’t that hard...until

We got rowdy
We got silly
I decided to do a front flip into the pool
And landed on a rusty, crooked screw

Kelly gaped at me
I stared back at her
We watched the blood drip
Kelly started to yelled

My mom came running
So did my grandpa
I showed them how I could poke my tongue through my cheek
My mom fainted

9 stitches
Lots of medicine
Tons of ice cream
...and a lesson I will never forget