‘The day my bum exploded’

Recently, my bum exploded. Well, that’s what it felt like.

Rather foolishly for an old duck, I perched on a stool, reached up, grabbed a drawer, pulled it and the darned thing shot out, pulling me backwards and down onto my tailbone.

I’ve heard it said that when one hits their head they see stars, but nothing was said about hitting one’s posterior. The stars were very pretty.

This was six weeks ago, and after investing in a wheelie walker so that I could move around with less pain the doctor had to be consulted.

With us being still in lockdown my prescription had to be delivered.

Pain pills, yay! The door bell rang and the poor delivery lady was almost trampled as I lunged to grab that little parcel.

While the whole ordeal was certainly painful, it also showed me just how much kindness there still is in the world.

My niece sent a little parcel to cheer me up, a neighbour gave me a beautiful bunch of flowers and weeded my garden knowing I couldn’t do it. Another put my rubbish bins back in their place after emptying.

It got me thinking about how small acts of kindness seem to have fallen by the wayside in recent years. It reminded me of taking in my neighbours washing when it was raining and she was out, and how she would do the same for me.

It also got me thinking about my dad, a man who showed kindness to all those around him. He was a tough man with a true heart of gold so a lovely example to follow. He was the town baker would jump in his horse-drawn cart to deliver bread to the elderly and those who had little money.

They insisted on paying him with vegetables from their little home gardens and he salved their pride telling them the bread and cakes were leftover and would be thrown out otherwise. Not true of course.

It’s these small acts of kindness that can make a big difference to someone’s life.