This past Thursday was a holiday over here. It was the day that they celebrate Father’s Day. Everyone gets the day off of work and there are many festivities in the towns. Because I am alone here, one of my colleagues asked me if I would join her and her boyfriend in one of these activities. Each year, her boyfriend and many other men, take a long walk from their soccer club up a hill to the remains of an old castle. They drink beer along the way and stop for food in a village around lunchtime. When they finally reach the top of the hill (or perhaps it is a mountain), there is a big party there in the woods. People from all over the various towns come there to celebrate.

It is very fun and hard to describe. There we are in the middle of a clearing in the woods with tents for food, drink, and a band. It resembles something anachronistic-a combination of a festival from medieval days, but with modern dress, food, drink and music-as well as the trucks that brought everything. The children would run into the woods, and the trees were well spaced and rose up into the sky as if pointing at the sun. They reminded me up inspirational posters-you know, the ones where the camera is pointed up at the sun and the tops of the skinny trees diminish in a focal point, which the photographer usually chooses to be the sun.

After we had something to eat and drink, we wondered up the path to the where the remains of the castle stood. There was not much left-just one column and an arch. Apparently it was built in the 13^{th century and was destroyed by attackers in 1355. At some time the hill gave way underneath and took most of the castle with it. There was not much there to look at, but the view of the valley and the town below was spectacular. I wish that I had brought my camera. I will have to go back soon and get pictures. We all sat on top looking at the panoramic view close to an edge where one could fall off if not careful.}

When we were done, it was time to walk home. Rather than come up the same way with the same group of people, many of the guys walked back with their wives and girlfriends to their cars waiting at the bottom of a path. I walked with Sandra and Frank down a winding walking path, which carved a path down a steep slope. As we were walking along the path, I could see where the path continued below us. One of our party had already ventured down the slope rather than take the route carved by the path. Rather than conform to the group, I decided it would be fun to do the same. When I saw a clear route down the steep slope, I decided to take the short cut. On the way down I found many places to plant my feet and grab onto trees to slow my momentum. However, my momentum had taken me by surprise and I opted not to grab at one of the trees on the way down for fear of hitting it too hard. Instead, I chose to continue down the slope and slow down once I reached the path below. What I did not know was that the slope did not continue on to the road. It dropped off very suddenly.

At this point I was committed to continuing due to the laws of physics (there was a lot of gravity in this particular area!). At full speed I reached the drop-off and descended to the path below. I broke my fall with my right foot as I attempted to land on my feet and then tuck-and-roll. I felt the sharp pain in my heel and then landed on my left shin-more pain. My hands then hit the ground and then I rolled (at least that part went as planned). As I stood up I knew that the pain was going to last for awhile. I signaled to the top of the hill that I was OK as I tried to take a couple of steps. I looked down to examine the pain, already knowing that my shin was bleeding, to see that my pants were torn from right to left about three inches below the knee. I looked inside the hole to see another hole-this one in my leg-an then decided to fall forward and let everyone know that I was not so good after all.

I lay on my back with my arms behind my head and tried to relax while looking up at the scenery until the others caught up with me. Once they did, I told them I would be OK and that we could continue walking down the path, but they insisted that I stay where I was. A flurry of activity commenced as people suddenly produced anything and everything that could be used for first aid. I was like a cartoon where the characters reach off scene and suddenly produced an object that was not there before. I could move all of my toes on both feet as well as everything else, but did not know if I was perhaps in shock. That was when I introspected long enough to realize that if I were in shock it would probably not hurt as bad as it did.

Then I noticed Frank was using his cell phone and I asked why. They told me he was calling an ambulance. At this point I still did not believe it was as serious as that. After all, I was able to walk a little before I decided to lie down. Then I remembered what my leg looked like and decided they were probably right. The good news is that I got to ride in my first ambulance! (While everyone else was worried, I was already looking at the bright side.) What fun!

When I arrived at the hospital, I had the pleasure of experiencing socialized medicine first hand. While the hot irons burned a lot as they were applied to my wounds, the leeches actually kinda tickled!

Seriously, they decided that I needed X-rays and painkillers. A mousy looking lady doctor produced a very sharp looking needle and began stabbing me in the leg with it. “Take that! And That!” I suddenly thought of the dentist in the movie Marathon Man. “What did I ever do to you?” I asked. She tried not to laugh at my joke. Good! She has a sense of humor!

Next, they then sent me to radiology where a girl, who looked too young, took X-rays (but no wallet size). True to myself, I kept making jokes even though nobody could understand half of what I was saying since their English was limited. The girl who was too young positioned my foot and my leg into various positions. She would then hold up one finger, tell me “don’t moof,” and give me a stern look that made her look even younger (eyes wide, mouth very small), as she went into the other room to take the X-ray. She took many X-rays. Each time she would tell me “don’t moof” and try not to laugh because I would do something silly in response. The first time, I held my breath and crossed my eyes. She responded with exaggerated alarm and told me “Nooohh!” She left the room to take the X-ray, but before doing so, poked her head in with one finger in the air and said “don’t moof!” to try and impress upon me that she was serious. I held my pinky finger up and wiggled it at her. She rolled her eyes and left the room. At one point she had to leave the radiology area to consult with a superior and told me again “don’t moof!” She was gone for so long that I could not tell if she was being funny or actually did not want me to move my foot from where it was that whole time. I decided it was best not to moof.

When she was done, they sent me back to the mousy lady with the needle. After examining my X-rays, she determined that nothing was broken. She cleaned my leg and then stitched up the wound. When she was done with the stitches I asked her if she could sew the rip in my pants next. She did not understand at first what I was asking, but when she finally did, she laughed. I decided she was not so bad after all.

The next day, I could take my pulse just by standing up. The throbbing in my leg was overwhelming for the first few seconds each time I tried. But the pain was worse in my right heel. My left leg looked terrible, but the right foot felt even worse. The pharmacy was closed, so I could not buy medicine or new bandages. I struggled through that day, sometimes falling back onto the couch whenever I would stand up. The next day I tried to go to the pharmacy again, but it was still closed. This time there was a man in the parking lot who informed me that one was open in another town. I was not familiar with the town, but decided to go and look for it anyway.

I traveled about 15 or 20 minutes to get to it. Along the way there were many winding roads (what else is new in Germany) which were very beautiful. I finally found the town, but I did not know where to find the pharmacy. (One of the things that I have learned in my short time here is that finding each town is easy, but finding your way around a particular town is like navigating through a scribble!)

Eventually I found it. It was in a VERY old part of town. The scenery was like something out of a movie. I even had to drive down a very narrow road that went through an arch that was big enough for only one car, although the traffic went in both directions. I’ve seen James Bond do this at 60mph, but I can tell you that it is not possible! When it was my turn to go, I proceeded at about 5mph. Again, I wish I had brought my camera. I will definitely visit this town again. It is very old and very beautiful. It even has a castle in it-one that was not destroyed by attackers or landslide, but not as old either.

On my way back, I did not see the same road out of town. I am sure I could have found it, but I was feeling adventurous at this point and decided to follow the signs to another town that I was familiar with. I figured, at least then I could find a McDonald’s. (Not that I am a fan, but that is about the best fast food you can find in Germany and I was hungry!) When I finally arrived at Mickey D’s, one of my coworkers was there with his wife. He saw me limping and asked what had happened. I told him I fell off a mountain. At first he laughed, then decided I might be serious and said “really?” I set him at ease by telling him that I was only exaggerating. We had lunch and then I set off for home.

That brings me to where I am now! I am at home writing this very long e-mail, hoping that you find as much humor in it as I do. I keep reading through it hoping that I am not putting too much focus on my fall, because I do not want to give you the idea that things are terrible and that you should worry. In spite of it all, I am still having fun and focusing on the positive. Just think, if I did not fall, I would not have ridden in my first ambulance, not have joked with all of the medical staff, and not have driven to Müllheim (the old town) to look for bandages-not to mention all the fun before it happened.

Now! I must ask you the big question. [drum roll] What do you think of a Christmas vacation in Europe? The reason I ask is this: I get to take one trip back to the USA while here in Germany at the company’s expense. But since I will be coming back for good at the end of February, it seems like a waste to use my one trip so close to my coming back. Rather, I would like to come back sooner and spend time with everyone (2 weeks) around the month of July or August. That way it would not be so long between seeing each other. Then, if you think it would be possible, you could come here for a European vacation for about two weeks during Christmas and we can travel all over and spend the night in a fancy hotel on Christmas day. I know this is a lot to ask, but I don’t want to plan my vacation in July/August and then end up spending Christmas here by myself. So, what do you think? Could be fun for us road-tripping types. Let me know. Take care.

Yours Friend,

Eric

P.S. Aristotle says hello!

P.P.S. Why did Scott ever find this so hard?