It is 9pm Saturday 22nd March. We are sitting at a table in a rugby club because we are part of the celebrations for an engagement. The music is very loud, as it always is on these occasions. My leg is hurting and I am at my limit of control. I am not at home, there are lots of people that I don't know and Mr M has gone outside for a cigarette so I am ALONE. Then several things happen very quickly and I learn that.... well let me describe the moment.
I can feel the panic rising inside me and I want to leap up and rush out of the building but I can't move because to move is to attract notice. Mr M comes back in through the door and the panic subsides. My phone whistles to tell me I have received a text. It is my daughter answering my plaintive message to say that the music is loud. "Have they fed you?" she asks, "Boo says if they haven't fed you yet then you must leave straight away. Tell them your daughter was attacked by an eagle. Now Boo is rolling about laughing."
I read the message to Mr M and we both laugh out loud and now I know I can stay for a while longer. The moment of fear has passed.
It occurs to me that you might wonder why the phrase "tell them your daughter was attacked by an eagle" would make us laugh quite so much. Here is the background story.
On Wednesday my daughter did a sponsored silence at work. She told her colleagues that if they could raise £100 in sponsorship she would be silent for the whole working day. They came back to her an hour later with £200 worth of sponsorship and Wednesday was "The Day". She easily completed the challenge and was packing up to come home when she saw 'something' moving outside her second floor window and heard a strange noise. Instinctively she turned away and closed her eyes as the something burst through the glass of the closed window. She said the noise was terrifying and she could hear and feel glass showering over her. something fell on her desk and then whatever it was went out through the glass of the other window and the end of the room, leaving feathers drifting down through the air and glass dropping and tinkling to the floor - oh and a rather battered collared dove on the desk.
My daughter was totally traumatised, as was the Dove, and she stood shaking for a moment before pressing redial on her phone. She is the Mental Health Administrator in a Forensic Psychiatric Hospital and her last call had been to one of the wards. When they answered she couldn't speak but just burst into tears. Fortunately they recognised her voice and pretty soon she had several nurses and staff looking after her. She was quite a while before she could drive home and when she got here she was still shaking. She was hugged by all of us and her daughter told her she was safe now because "Grandpa won't let anything bad happen, and I am here to keep you safe mummy". They had food with us and gradually the human ability to find humour in every situation began to seep through until Mr M said "...and just be thankful no one said ...EAGLE!!!" (just like the teabag advert) which made us all laugh. So there you have it. This moment has come to you because of a delightful idea by Alexa at Trimmingthesails now you have read my contribution why not pop over there and see what other moments have happened this month
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12 comments:
Gosh, that is a dramatic moment for your daughter indeed - and how wonderful that it was able, with some reframing, to help you in a moment of difficulty :). Thank-you so much for linking up again this month, and it was lovely to see you!
Brilliant story beautifully told. Technology is simply wonderful (at times). glad you are both well, lived to tell the tale and laugh about it.
Wow, you have such a gift for producing the most unexpected of stories. There won't be too many more like that one in the moments this month..
Wow, what a story, and so good that your daughter was able to draw on that to help you through a tough moment.
It's a nice feeling to overcome your instincts and stay put isn't it? [I've been there and your moment of rising panic was very vivid for me. Fortunately I can't say I've ever experienced anything quite like your daughter did! I've been known to jump when the bread pops out of the toaster ... it's no wonder she was in shock.
Oh my goodness! I can't even begin to imagine the trauma of your daughter's situation. I can fully empathise with yours though and, like Julie, sometimes the toaster makes me jump. I love that you finished the story with a laugh. I hope your daughter has fully recovered from her ordeal.
Whoa! What an experience! I was hanging on my seat and totally unprepared! A great story that I'm sure will be shared for many moments to come!
So glad your daughter was OK and that she could help you through an uncomfortable occasion, too.
Cheers~
Your story is priceless! I've always heard you have to beware of the attacking doves/eagles over there! LOL!!
Oh gosh! I am glad that she was ok and that the story helped you to overcome your panic at the party - good coming from a scary event :)
What an amazing story - glad that the text from your dd helped and you were able to stay.
Oh dear - what a fright that must have been. I'm glad it all worked out ok and the laughter about it was able to help you.
This is so well written. Glad to hear that your daughter was okay after such a nasty shock.
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