My Toes

You never know how badly something can hurt until you do an action you never intended to do and injure an odd part of your body in a place usually not touched.

While wandering around the house in my bare feet (as usual) in the complete light of day, I mashed my pinkie toe on the leg of a chair. My toe is very, very sore. Do you have any idea just how much you use that toe for balance? Well, neither did I...well, maybe I did.

Can you notice that the toe next to my pinkie is a little crooked? Aren't you the least bit curious why? The reason is that many moons ago I loved to play sports. I was one of those who loved gym class, even when it was first period. One time while trying to spike a volleyball over a net, I came down on that toe. (This would really be very funny if you knew just how tall I am. Remember, in our salad days, we think anything is possible.)

When I came down on that toe, it couldn't support me. ("No kidding," you say.) Since it couldn't support me, I fell down screaming. I yanked off my white sneakers and gym socks and saw my fourth toe standing straight up in the air at a right angle to the rest of my toes. I was in pain. I had dislocated my toe. I remember that the doctor pushed it back in place and set it with a tongue depressor. I walked around with a stiff knee for a few days because I was afraid that bending it would damage my toe.

I recovered. I played more volleyball. And basketball (I won the foulshooting championship more than once) and softball (second base). But I never tried to spike again. And my toe ended up crooked.

I think I'll go ice my pinkie again. Tomorrow I have to wear business shoes.