Day 20—Really? Who shut the door?

Another lazy day: relaxing, yet a bit boring at the same time.  We spent time reading, swimming, watching some TV, surfing the net.  Ya know, same old, same old.  Today’s weather was overcast, with a slight breeze, so it was somewhat cooler.  So there we were just drifting through our day, when to power went out, again. 

Now, I am firmly convinced these are rolling black outs designed to conserve energy.  They have hit at the same time of day (the cooler part of the day), and on relatively cool days.  When we had that scary storm and the electricity flickered, it didn’t go off except for a minute or two.  These other times have been for about three hours each. No storm in sight. So it just feels like it is planned. 

Anyway,  it’s fine.  We take dips on the pool, and sit on the terrace listening to the waves crashing.  And as it gets dark, we watch the bat play with (OK eat) the fireflies.  All was well, and I was actually slightly disappointed when the power came on because the light seems to send the fireflies away. 

So, Sean went inside.  As I was standing up to go inside, I saw a huge flash of fire at the abandoned beach house in front of our villa.  I called to Sean and Emma, and asked, “Should we tell someone about this?” We watched as the flames got bigger and brighter.  Sean said, “Let’s go tell Jesse!” Poor Jesse.  Just because the guy speaks English, we are always bugging him.

Abandoned beach house. It turns out the fire was started by kids taking advantage of the black out. 

This is the table the kids set on fire.  

  
Sean and Emma go scurrying out the door to alert Jesse.  I stood watching the flames for a minute or two more, and then decide to go see what Jesse thinks.  I turned around to go into the lite up Villa and BAM!

I am suddenly covered in blood, and in the worst pain of my life.  

WHAT.THE.HELL? 

As I look up, the vibration of the sliding glass door that I just ran into NOSE FIRST is now catching the light.  Oh crap, the DOOR IS NOT OPEN!?  It was open when I came out here, and now it’s closed.  

 Ugh! Man, did my face hurt. What an idiot! I would have laughed at myself had I not been in so much pain. I swear, I never saw the damn glass. It looked open!  

The offending door that I now hate.

So, I OPEN the door, go inside, and grab paper towels to mop up some of the blood.  I notice my front teeth hurt so I run to the bathroom to look, and my mouth is full of blood.  Oh no! I quickly rinse my mouth, and realize that the blood is all coming from my nose.  Emma and Sean are still not back.  I’m partially glad no one witnessed my Buster Keaton  moment.  I think all embarrassment comes from when you fail to open or close something: your mouth, curtains, a door. 

I reach into the freezer and all we had is a ginormous piece of oddly shaped ice.  I awkwardly rub it around my rapidly swelling nose.  Emma and Sean get back, and tell me “Jesse said not to worry, the fire will put itself out.” And he was right.  When I glanced outside toward the fire, it was just a small smoldering pile.  Well it is a wet steamy jungle, with cinderblock houses that have tin roofs.  What were we thinking? 

Then they notice the ice.

“What happened to you?”

 “Oh, I think I just broke my nose walking into the sliding glass door," I reply casually. 

To their credit they didn’t laugh at me.  They must have seen the look of pain on my face.  Sean just asked if he could get me anything, and Emma began looking up advice on WEB MD. I love my family.  (Except when they close doors and I don’t realize it!) 

I popped some ibuprofen, took some decongestant to help with the swelling, tried to keep rubbing my face with the awkward piece of  ice (oh, but it hurt so much to touch it), and had a glass of wine.  That was all I could think to do.  

I hope I feel better in the morning. And don't have two black eyes.