And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

Or, and most accurately, "Alice Is Not Talking About Crazy Love Again"

Today, my friends, I want to tell you the story of my left foot.  Specifically what my poor left foot has been through over the last 22 days. 

It started out like a normal day of walking, riding and sitting for good ol' Lefty.  Adorned in its favorite left shoe from Germany and feeling all clean and polished after a week of cold showers and dirty roads, Lefty had no idea the perils that awaited him.  I'm sure if he did, he would have chosen to stay in Belize.  At least in Belize he hadn't been bruised, battered and torn.  That distinction belonged to Righty, Lefty's bestfriend and at times arch enemy.

Things seemed to moving smoothly along, a bit of shopping just outside of San Ignacio, a van ride up to Belize City, a few hours at the airport and then a flight to Miami.  This is where Lefty's once smooth and spry exterior changed, if not forever, at least long enough to leave an impression.  Due to some strange weather, flights from Belize were cancelled the day before, making flights on that fateful Saturday crazy, overcrowded, and delayed.  And in the case of Lefty's flight, nearly 90 minutes delayed.

This meant that the once ample layover in Miami, enough to go through immigration, pick up all the luggage, head through customs and re-check luggage, was now down to a paltry 30 minutes.  And even in the best of circumstances, a near impossible task.  As a result, Lefty knew that he would be called upon to perform in top capacity.  Running - not just quick walking - from one place to the other, jumping over small children, quick maneuvers and quicker steps.  But Lefty was ready for the challenge.

AND PERFORM LEFTY DID!!  He and Righty worked in tandem, like a finely oiled machine.  And then, oh children the memory even now brings pain to Lefty, while trying to pass off the luggage after flying through customs, I, Lefty's person, dropped, or more accurately SLAMMED what can only be described as a Smart Car-size piece of luggage full of Coke Lights and dirty laundry on top of Lefty.

The pain - OH THE PAIN - brought tears to my eyes and caused me to grab the poor innocent bystander who was trying to pass their luggage off.  But Lefty, visibly turning colors and swelling by the second never let me down. 

This unfortunately was not Lefty's only "accident."  Two weeks later, black, blue, still swollen, STILL painful to touch, Lefty was still performing expertly when I shoved him under a piece of furniture, scrapping off most of the clean, but black & blue exterior.  I VOWED to take better care of Lefty.  I PROMISED no more stupid, childish antics.  And Lefty, ever the trooper, continued as best as his bruised, battered and now slightly bloody self would allow.

Until last night, when the sweetest, most precious little girl named Mercy came into Lefty's life.  I don't think anyone could have predicted the outcome of this sweet relationship.  Just as the evening came to an end, this sweet mite of a little girl TRAMPLED on Lefty.  But Lefty, ever the gentleman (footleman?) remained strong, never letting his pain show so as not to make little Mercy feel bad.

And I, Lefty's person, trying to hold back the tears and avoid limping, walked out the door and away from the heartbreak. 

Today, Lefty sits encased in a simple black flat, valiantly enduring the pain and suffering.  I've promised Lefty that enough is enough and that we will take as long as needed to heal and become whole again.

We now you return to our regularly scheduled program.

(Yeah, this is a stupid post, but I can't focus on much more than the pain in my foot right now.  Sorry!!)