Snow Sledding

It was a snowy evening and Mom had gone to “Bank Night”. Once a week the local theater had a drawing – probably $25 to draw in local patrons. There was a call that “our gang” would get together for a sledding party at the country club. Iowa’s flat lands didn’t have many good hills, but the country club provided some nice slopes. I was supposed to watch my younger sisters while Mom was at the theater. I bribed them not to tell and off I went in my new snow suit. We all eagerly piled into two cars with our sleds. Reaching the country club several of us were so anxious to get on the sleds that my friend Helen lay flat on the sled and I piled on top of her. It was dark but down we went – but alas – we didn’t see the fence at the bottom of the hill. We were stopped suddenly – crash – it was a barbed wire fence. Helen had caught the side of her mouth and immediately the snow was red with blood. We were scared – we picked up the sled and trudged up the hill where our group was still unpacking the car. Immediately we all got back into the car and took Helen to our gentle old family doctor. We went to his house where he stitched Helen up and gave her a tetanus shot. Where would you find a kind doctor like that anymore?? The party was over! I got home before my mother but noticed I had torn my new ski jacket. Horrors!!! I don’t know how I did it but I neatly stitched up the jacket. Either Mom didn’t notice or didn’t say anything. Our sledding party was very short and memorable. I expect to this day Helen carries a scar on her face to mark that foolish evening.