Fall Down, Go Boom

On one of those rare occasions when a friend stayed overnight at our house out in the boonies, we had an interesting experience. Well, it was interesting for Dennis, anyway, and I suppose “interesting” wouldn’t be the right word to describe it.

Anyways, it was John Wilson and he and I shared the bottom bunk of the bunk beds Dennis & I used. In the morning (I think it was a Saturday) John and I were awake in the bottom bunk chatting, and we decided to tug on the sheet which hung down over the side of Dennis’s bed above. We did so tug a little, then went back to chatting. Not hearing anything stirring above us, we tugged a bit more, then a bit more, then a bit more, essentially dragging Dennis to the edge of his bed. We were sure he was awake and playing along with us. Turns out he was dead asleep, and the last and final tug brought him down on the hardwood floor WHAM-O!

Upon hitting said floor, Dennis jumped up and ran out of the room and down the stairs to who knows where. John and I wondered out loud what that was all about and went back to chatting, not grasping the gravity of the situation (pun definitely intended). We eventually got up and went downstairs to find Dennis seated at the breakfast table consuming a bowl of some cereal with a far-off glazed-over look. I don’t think we saw Dennis for the rest of the day, not that it particularly mattered to us at the time.

Not too many years ago I brought this up to Dennis who confirmed he was asleep until he hit the floor, and that he was hurt - bad. He should have seen a doctor, but in those days if you could stand upright and manage somewhat coherent English, you’re fine.