9/16/03 Nelson the Concessionaire's Trip on Circle Line:
Here's a perfectly upstanding looking gentleman, right? He works the concession
stands on the Circle Line boats. I occasionally interface with the on-boat Circle
Line concession workers, as I am often grabbing myself an orange juice to give
me the energy to get me though the tours. But last week, I was on the upper
deck, at the back of the boat, giving my tour, when this nice fellow came by
and asked me if I wanted anything. I was stunned into silence for a moment,
because for the past four months of giving these tours, I've never been offered
something from the concession stand without having to come down and request
it myself. It was a lovely gesture, and I said, "Actually, yes, thank you,
I would love an orange juice." He smiled and said, "No problem,"
and disappeared down the staircase in front of me.
I continued my tour. Giving a tour takes a great deal of brain power. And so,
while I may seem to have an excellent memory in terms of the facts and information
I'm spewing out, one thing after another, I can be very flaky with any additional
thoughts. I once promised a lady that I would announce her parent's 50th wedding
anniversary at some point during the Statue of Liberty part of the tour, and
had to be reminded, because, while giving my description of the Statue, I had
forgotten about the anniversary. And so too, I quickly forgot that I had asked
for an orange juice, as I went on about the Little Red Lighthouse under the
George Washington Bridge.
It was a few minutes later that I heard a fairly horrible sound... a loud bang
or thud of metal, and it seemed to come from below me. I was standing near the
top of the back staircase on the boat, and after I finished my current sentence,
I looked down over the staircase railing, just catching a glimpse of a figure
passing out of my view below. I even said, over the microphone, "is everybody
all right down there?" And when I didn't hear an answer, I figured that
perhaps a kid jumped from the third step, or that somebody tripped, but righted
themselves and moved on. So I didn't think much of it.
Later, during my final "intermission" of the tour, just past the George
Washington Bridge, I noticed the engineer heading down to the bathroom with
the first aid kid, which I though was a bit odd, and I asked him if everything
was all right. He said that the situation was under control and that somebody
had slipped on the back staircase and they were bleeding a bit from their head.
This confirmed my earlier suspicion that someone had tripped. I felt bad for
that person for a moment, but had to move on with the last part of the tour,
as we approached Riverbank State Park/North River Pollution Control Plant on
the left."
It wasn't until all the passengers were safely off the boat, and I was collecting
my things to leave, when I first thought... "Hey... I wonder what happened
to that orange juice?" At first, I figured that he got busy at the concession
stand and forgot, or was unable to leave his post. It was all right I wasn't
that thirsty. It was the thought that counts, and I again smiled to myself about
the kind gesture.
But a moment later, I finally put two-and-two together. Oh no! I hope that nice
concession worker didn't fall and hurt himself on his way up to give me my orange
juice!!!! It couldn't be.... but it could!
SCROLL DOWN
SCROLL DOWN MORE
NOT FOR THE FAINT AT HEART
WELL...... TODAY NELSON CAME UP TO ME AND SHOWED ME HIS HEAD:
14 STAPLES in his head. OH MY GOD!!!!!! I feel somehow responsible, in a way. I mean... if I hadn't been thirsty.... or... perhaps if I wanted water instead of orange juice? Oh, who knows. But the fact of the matter is that he tripped and cut open his head and needed STAPLES because he was being a nice guy and bringing me, the tour guide, an orange juice. Thank you, Nelson. Sorry about your head. Crap.