Alarming Induction

I was 18, a bit shy, very professional; I liked to go out have fun and dance. I had my first real full time job. I was a chatty person, fairly pretty and a good figure, slightly heavy but curves where they were noticed. I guess you would say curvaceous!  My job was as a receptionist at the local ten pin bowling centre. 

I got off the bus and walked the small journey to the Bowl. As I was walking, a fire engine rushed passed me! I remember thinking “Typical, I am supposed to start work and the place is on fire, please let it be the cinema!” I can’t believe I even thought like that, but I was so excited about my new job. Then an ambulance came towards me, in that ambulance unbeknown to me was a man that would have a huge impact on my life.

I arrived at the bowl for my induction, there was no fire. People were still bowling, but the staff were quite distraught. It was quite obvious something was going on. I was sat in the café with the other inductees. Lisa, Kylie and a young man who I can’t recall, perhaps he didn’t stay long. Kylie had worked there before and knew some of the staff. So she asked what was going on. Well what happened was one of the lane technicians was fixing the bowling lane, when the machine malfunctioned and pulled him in by his throat, the life being squeezed out of him, his feet were off the floor, The man in the ambulance! 


A manager, Nigel came over you could see he was upset and just holding it together. He said there had been an accident and everyone is a little shaken, so could we come back the next day. Kylie and I could see that it was something bad from the way Nigel was, Lisa was just annoyed that she had been put out! I was quite shocked at her reaction. She said "no actually it not ok, I have made the effort to get here I want my induction now!" He politely told her it was not possible and said she would be paid for her inconvenience. She was happy to go away then.  

If it had not been for a fellow technician going back to the workshop because he had forgotten his hat, he would not have found him, raised the alarm and resuscitated him three times before the ambulance came, that man would not have been here today and it would have effected so much of my life as it is now. 

Things like that really make you think, send shivers up my spine when i think about it and you know It has never occurred to me until today, writing this, how ironic that very day was!! 

Time to step back.

If you’re constantly being told by your friends and family that he is no good. You think you know him better. Nobody else can see the good things in him, you may even feel sorry for him because nobody else believes in him, his friends or family.

You may even think that he will change and those nice things you see in him will be there all the time. Because if you appreciate those things about him, then he will want to be that person more often. Ooh and what about the way he makes everything sound great and convinces you that you think it is great too. Well I would say, as of woman of experience listen to those family and friends, a bigger warning is if it is his family and friends say it too!

Just take a step back. You may think hang on what about the children, I won’t lie it is hard on them because they see there dad as someone great, especially if you think you have been clever enough to hide it from them.

Don’t be fooled they see and hear more than you think. They will be happy to see there mum smile and laugh again. If you take that step back,  you will start to see what they have all been telling you for years. It is Time to save yourself and remember who you used to be. Or like me discover who you are because you never got to find out, your personality was crushed and hidden along the way and you were only 18 when you met and you only became what he wanted. Look back and you might see a glimpse of her somewhere, your former self.