Many years ago, I worked on playgrounds in the summer. A couple of times in Knoxville and a couple in Johnson City. I made the big bucks! $25 a week in Knoxville and $30 a week in J.C,
The playground I was assigned to in J.C. was across from the old cola plant. It was a huge area and I was in charge of it. It was at least 3 city blocks long. We couldn't wear shorts in those days..only a skirt and a sleeveless blouse. (Glad it was sleeveless!)
I worked from 8 until 4 and there was very little shade on the playground.
The Veteran's Hospital was just over the hill, and often the veterans would come down and sit on the bleachers which were on the end closest to the VA. Many times they fell asleep!
The bleachers were next to a fence. It was a chain link fence, just there to catch the balls, since that was also the end where the kids played softball. The top of the fence had those jagged ends shaped like an X. Very sharp and very dangerous.
One day a little boy decided to climb the fence. When he got to the top he got his arm hung on one of those jagged ends and it ripped a huge chunk out of it. In fact, I had to lift him up in order to get his arm off without ripping it anymore.
Of course he started screaming his head off and I put him in my car and took him to the hospital. He never stopped screaming and I couldn't leave him, so went in with him for them to sew it up. (Where I immediately started to pass out! The Dr. happened to see me and told me to put my head between my legs!)
I had called his Mother to come to the hospital, but before she got there he just kept screaming.."don't cut my arm off", over and over again! I tried to reassure him, to no avail.
Finally his Mother arrived. She only had one arm.
The playground I was assigned to in J.C. was across from the old cola plant. It was a huge area and I was in charge of it. It was at least 3 city blocks long. We couldn't wear shorts in those days..only a skirt and a sleeveless blouse. (Glad it was sleeveless!)
I worked from 8 until 4 and there was very little shade on the playground.
The Veteran's Hospital was just over the hill, and often the veterans would come down and sit on the bleachers which were on the end closest to the VA. Many times they fell asleep!
The bleachers were next to a fence. It was a chain link fence, just there to catch the balls, since that was also the end where the kids played softball. The top of the fence had those jagged ends shaped like an X. Very sharp and very dangerous.
One day a little boy decided to climb the fence. When he got to the top he got his arm hung on one of those jagged ends and it ripped a huge chunk out of it. In fact, I had to lift him up in order to get his arm off without ripping it anymore.
Of course he started screaming his head off and I put him in my car and took him to the hospital. He never stopped screaming and I couldn't leave him, so went in with him for them to sew it up. (Where I immediately started to pass out! The Dr. happened to see me and told me to put my head between my legs!)
I had called his Mother to come to the hospital, but before she got there he just kept screaming.."don't cut my arm off", over and over again! I tried to reassure him, to no avail.
Finally his Mother arrived. She only had one arm.
