Blackout

When I was in grade school, I absolutely loved to play wallball, which in retrospect is an utterly boring game. The entire game was that, with however many people as you could gather, you'd just bounce a ball against the wall, and whoever missed hitting the ball at the wall was the loser of that round. It was kind of like a one sided tennis match, but using something more like dodgeballs.

I was, like, ten. It was easier to entertain ourselves back then.

But I played this game almost every time I got a chance. I didn't even care if I didn't have anyone to play with, I would play it anyway. I have to imagine teachers must have seen me bouncing a ball against a wall by myself all the time and pitied me, but I didn't mind in the slightest. I thought it was fun.

One time in particular, in about fourth or fifth grade, I remember playing with a group of about five kids. We had to use a bigger wall to fit so many of us on it, so we were out in one of the bigger areas of the school campus, rather than in an off corner like we usually were, which meant that a lot of things were happening in the immediate vicinity. Lots of other kids playing their own games, many of which involved other balls.

It was the lunch period, which meant a longer recess, and it was near the end of it, so we were all getting pretty tired. That meant that a lot of us were starting to lose points as the ball soared passed our hands. One kid struck the ball particularly hard, and it bounced over our heads and went flying off towards the fields. I was the fastest kid in the group, and I shot after it without a second thought.

Unfortunately, behind us were some kids that were playing basketball, and at that moment they just so happened to have also lost control of their ball. I didn't see it until the last second, right as I planted my foot solidly on the ball, which sent me spiraling backwards.

I heard the slam of my head against concrete before everything went back. The other kids were a good distance away when I went down. But when I opened my eyes, they were all standing around me and looking down at me. I don't know how long I had been laying there, but my head was throbbing. One of the kids helped me back onto my feet and, without saying much, I made my way over to the planter to sit down.

I didn't move much until recess was over. I was feeling really weird, and my head wouldn't stop pounding in my ears. I remember someone came over to ask if I was alright, and I just waved them off.

What really got people's attention was that, when class started, I didn't go back in. I felt terrible, and I could barely hear the words coming out of anyone's mouths. It only took a couple minutes before my teacher came out to try and find me. When I told her about what happened, she immediately sent me to the principal's office to have my parents called to come and get me.

The office was very confused to find me walk in. I didn't look like I was in trouble, and I wasn't visibly injured, but as soon as I explained what happened I was pushed into the nurse's office and my house put on the line.

I felt dumb. The pain was beginning to subside, and I felt like I could have gone back to class, but no one would hear anything of it. I had a pretty sizable lump on the back of my head, too, upon closer inspection, and touching it certainly sent shocks through my system.

My grandpa was the one who came to get me. He apparently didn't have the story explained to him very well, so for about the sixth time that day by that point I explained what had happened. Before I knew it, I was in the car heading home.

I think back on that every once in a while. Surprisingly, I haven't had a lot of serious injuries in my life, and this was probably one of the more serious ones I've had. Especially given how old I was and how hard I hit the ground, I could've stayed under a lot longer, and I could have had some permanent damage. As far as I'm aware, though, I didn't, and I'm pretty lucky to be able to say that. I've experienced a lot of things in my life. Would've been a shame for them to have been cut off so early.