An Escape Artist Extraordinaire!
After lunch yesterday, Nyel and I parted ways for the afternoon — I, to go into my office hidey-hole and finish up a writing project and Nyel, heading outside to enjoy his chickens in the sunshine.
It was some time later that my concentration was broken by a familiar noise from the past. A mower. But not just any mower. Not Chuck-the-church-guy’s mower and not Tom-our-lawn-man’s mower. IT WAS OUR MOWER!! Which could mean only one thing — Nyel had escaped!
It’s been three extensive surgeries on his left leg and well over a year-and-a-half since Nyel has been on that rider mower. His left leg is shorter by four inches than his right leg; he cannot yet put full weight on it. Nor can he walk more than a few steps WITH his walker and wearing his specially built-up shoe. Which were both in the bedroom where they had been since sheltering began and physical therapy stopped. What the hell??
I went out to the garage to have a look. There was his empty wheelchair and a blank space where there had been a mower. Nearby was a battery charger and a (probably empty) gas can. What the bloody hell??
The path between our east fence and the meadow — the path that Nyel likes to keep mowed to certain high standards that probably only mower-guys understand — had been freshly mowed. That’s where the familiar noise had come from but all was quiet by the time I got there and no Nyel in sight. What???
Then it started again — way down the street, along the verge in front of Willard’s Bench. Part of Nyel’s old “responsibilty” for the upkeep of the village — now mowed by other volunteers. He looked so pleased with himself and so content on that mower! Every bit of angst I might have had was overwhelmed by a heart full of gladness, Yay! Let’s hear it for determination and grit and, ultimately for escape!
“How did you get from your wheelchair to the mower?” I asked him later.
“I hopped,” he said. You should have seen his grin!
What a guy! Bet you were just beaming from ear to ear. We all would have loved to see Nyel on the mower, a thing he always has done except for a little interlude. Good going Nyel!
What a wonderful story, it made me laugh out loud, not haha funny but with joy.
What a victory after endless setbacks. And Sydney’s reaction! No wonder they call them
THE FEARLESS STEVENSES
Me too, Petra! We are eagerly awaiting some decent weather so he can repeat the process!
S.