Step by Step...

No, not a NKOTB reference (that's New Kids on the Block for those of you not in the know).

This is basically a post dedicated to how inept I am when it comes to walking up and down stairs. Geez, I have managed to totally boff it going down the stairs on more occasions I care to admit to. I fully blame the little triangle step near the bottom of the staircase - it is at a bad angle and not wide enough for my entire foot on the side of the staircase I go down.

So, because of my bumpy past with the stairs I decided to go up really carefully. I had had problems going up in the past, but not to the extent of going down. So, carefully, so carefully I start my ascent. I am near the mid-way landing point and,

SPLAT!

HOLLER!

SWEAR!

SWEAR!

SWEAR!

I find myself curled up on the landing not able to actually get up. I landed a little weirdly on my thigh and shooting pain was now racing up and down my leg and back and I was oddly weak.

So, now I am limping all around like a gimp and my students are all worried, again (I enter the classroom to choruses of "Laoshi, you, hospital now!") When it snowed, I was escorted home by 8 students all grabbing hold of me in some manner or another to make sure I didn't slip on the snow. What a site it must have been to the locals who like sit on their front stoop to stare at the usual spectacle of me walking home with the kids! Today my SFS insisted on helping me down the stairs because he pointed out that there is no railing. Then one of my bigger kids grabbed my arm and had me ride side saddle on his bicycle (on the little rack on the back).

So far in Guyuan, I have found that my escalator skills are quite impressive and quite above par, but stair mastery has remained a mystery to me and I probably require a remedial 101 class. At least I am well taken care of by my kids whenever I do anything really stupid and usually embarrassing.