Battered Not Broken

14/365

"I had a bad day"

I knew she had gone snowboarding for the day. The day after a huge snowstorm. A day with a bluebird sky. The mountains. Powder. A bad day? How?

"Do you want to go to Colorado next week?"

Jess was scheduled to visit a friend out west next week. Why was she inviting me now?

"I broke my tibia and fibula."

Her voice cracked when she said it. We both go a bit quiet and I can hear the beeps and chatter of hospital in the background. 

"I am in the ER now."

Shit. 

Jess is more like me than most—poor girl. She likes to escape to the mountains and she'll do it anyway she can, in any season. She'll do it alone or drag friends along. Two weeks ago, with a Nor'Easter barreling down on Maine, she called me with an invite. 

"We have a hotel at Sunday River, are you coming?" It was mid afternoon on a Sunday. I already knew work would be canceled the next day. I knew I'd be sitting around miserable, pissed about not being able to work—for me, no work means no pay.

"I'd love to, but I can't afford it, especially since I won't be getting a full paycheck after this week."

She wouldn't take no for an answer. 

"I'll pay."

We debated. Almost fought. I couldn't let her pay. I couldn't pay either. But really, she wouldn't take no for an answer. She knew I was down about my job. Down about my budget. We set out for Sunday River that night, the roads already covered in snow. 

The next day was one of my favorites in long time. A rare but true, east-coast powder day with Jess and her friend Emily. Snow and ice caked in my beard, floating down mountains, soft turns, soft falls, short lines and good company.

Jess is that kind of friend. And the kind of friend that when something goes wrong with them, your heart sinks for them. Her Colorado trip would have to be canceled. As would her trip to Jackson Hole in a month. Her legs was broken, her freedom temporally stolen. 

I'm at Jess' place tonight. Sitting in her recliner typing while she sleeps peacefully, finally, on her couch. We've ordered Thai food and chatted. I tried to play nurse, helping her adjust her leg a few times, lifting the brick of a cast. I wasn't very good at it. She'd wince, and do her best to patiently explain to me that her leg is broken, and when I moved too fast the bones crunched, and well, that hurts. And if I grab her cast near where the break is, that hurts too. I am not a very good nurse. 

Just before she fell asleep, she told me where she keeps her first-aid kit and peroxide. I fetched both.  She then proceed to treat and bandage the fresh work wounds on my hands that were becoming infected. All while laying on her back, her broken leg resting on a pillow. She finished my bandage off with some Scotch Tape, just before falling asleep. 

She's that kind of friend. Get well soon Jess. I owe you a hike.