Sunday, November 06, 2005

I almost lost my father

Yesterday I had an alarming call from my mother.My father's nearly 80. He caught a late night (arriving past midnight) train to return home. He fell asleep on the train and missed his stop, but woke in time for the next stop. At the next stop he got out and slipped and knocked himself out on the platform. Nobody noticed - or if they did, didn't bother - and the station was unattended.

He severely grazed his face. Fortunately the grazing by his eye didn't break - that can be very bloody. When he came to, he decided to walk home - only a few miles, but he is nearly 80. There were no taxis and he didn't have the means to call one.Fortunately it was a warm night, otherwise he'd be dead of exposure, either from when he knocked himself out or during the walk home.I'm much relieved that he got home safely. He now looks like he's gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson.