When I broke my left ankle rollerblading (1996), I was on a trail near my home. About a dozen people walked passed me and not one of them offered to help me or stopped to ask if I was ok. I took off my rollerblades and crawled down a dirt hill into a parking lot. A construction worker came over and asked if I was ok. He looked at my ankle and told me that it was just sprained. I told him that I heard it break. He thought I was being dramatic and he sort of rolled his eyes. He offered to let me use his cell phone. After I called a friend and asked them to come quickly, the guy got in his truck and left.

My experience at Orange was very different. Everyone was incredibly compassionate. They brought ice and a pillow to prop up my right foot. They gave me ibuprofen. They made sure I was as comfortable as possible. A couple of people that I didn't know stopped by to check out my ankle. Everyone had an opinion. My left ankle was throbbing. It was swollen, but compared to my right ankle it looked completely fine. My right foot and ankle continued to swell. It was starting to look like I had elephantiasis.

Our conversation went like this:

Me: "I think I can drive. I should go home." I have cruise control. Most of the drive would be on the highway. I could probably make it.

Him: "What are you going to do if you have to slam on the brakes?" 

Me:  No reply.  That was a good question.

Him: "Let us call an ambulance." 

Me: "I can't afford to do that."

Him: "You don't have health insurance?"

Me: "I have health insurance. It's not the money. I'm two hours away from home. I'd rather go to a hospital in Maryland."

Then, someone else chimed in, "I'll drive you." It was Israel! I didn't know that he was from Maryland! I'd been to Orange at least 10 times and I'd met very few people from Maryland. Both Israel and Henri were from Maryland! Not only were they from Maryland, but Israel was from Rockville which is only about 10 miles from my house.

This just gets better and better. Since Israel and Henri had driven together, Israel was willing to drive my car back to Maryland. What were the odds? There were only a dozen people at the drop zone. Maybe I'm getting all my good karma now instead of having it for a future lifetime! Thank you karma distribution center!

I immediately felt a little better. I didn't have to worry about how to get home. I told Israel that I wasn't in a rush. They should continue jumping. At this point, I wasn't even completely sure that I'd need him to drive me. I had my foot up with a bag of ice - maybe the swelling would go down. 

Nick came over, "Well Super Flare..." (Present day me is so glad that nickname didn't stick!)