Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Jeremy Menning in Providence, Rhode Island

Vow Incited

The serrated blade squeezed through the bread and slid into my skin. My heart leapt. I jumped up in pain, dropped the knife, and clasped my finger with the opposite hand. A single crimson drop of blood formed at the tip of my left index finger. It felt like an ice pick was pressing into my chest. My hands turned numb, my vision blurred, and my stomach brewed with nausea. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. My arms dropped to my side all but incapacitated. My head bobbed into unconscious. A ringing pierced my eardrums and then faded to deep silence.

I heard someone say my name. A familiar voice in the distance.

"Jeremy. Jeremy, are you okay?"

I knew the voice but could not place it.

Again the voice called out, "Jeremy, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Sponsored
Sponsored

My senses returned. That voice is Rhiana's , I thought. A slight smile formed on my face from the sound of her voice. Yes. Now things are returning to normal .

A third time, Rhiana spoke. "Jeremy, answer me. What is going on?"

Like I had just been woken from a trance I muttered in a hushed monotone, "I cut my finger slicing the bread. It's not bad, but I'm going to pass out. Get me a chair; I don't want to fall. And can you turn off the oven?"

Rhiana agreed, "I will get you a chair, but first you have to sit down on the floor."

"No. I can stand up if you just get me a chair and turn off the oven."

Rhiana turned to get a chair. I stood and glared at the lime-green digital numbers on our pearl-white stovetop range. The numbers read "350." My mind raced with the thought of the overheated oven. "I just have to turn it off. It's only a few steps away. I will feel better once it is turned off." One step toward the stovetop and the digital numbers danced like fireflies on a summer night. One half step and the numbers swung into a streak of lime green lightning.

Darkness ensued.

I felt the cool kitchen floor tiles on my face. The hum that resonated from the refrigerator motor was slightly louder than normal. I rolled to my back, placed my hand on the windowsill, and pulled myself to the wall. My sweaty hands slid on the tile as I propped myself into a sitting position. I was then facing the stove. The cabinets and appliances appeared jumbled together in a white, clouded blob before me.

I heard that familiar voice again. "Jeremy. Jeremy! What happened? Are you okay? Why couldn't you just leave that stupid oven be?"

Crouched on the floor, I tried to hold my head up, but it sank back down. The nausea in my stomach nearly elevated to a heave. Again I tried to hold up my head, and again it fell between my shoulders.

Rhiana was frantic. "Are you okay? Can you hear me? What happened?"

I mumbled once more about the stove, and as the nausea rose I said, "Call

9-1-1."

Rhiana left the room and returned with the phone. She dialed a few chirps and dashed through the operator's query, "Hello. Yes. Medical, please. My fiancé cut his finger. He passed out, and I think he hit his head on the way down. Okay. Thank you."

Rhiana retrieved a cold, wet hand towel and pressed it to my face. "Can you hold this on your head? Let me see your finger. You are bleeding everywhere." She lifted my limp arm from the floor and folded my unscathed fingers down and out of the way. "You need to hold this hand up. Hold this paper towel on it and keep up the pressure while I get the bandages. Why didn't you listen to me and just sit down?"

Coming back to my senses, I persisted. "Did you turn off the oven?" She had left the room.

Returning again and this time agitated by the repeated question she snapped back, "Yes, the oven is off. Keep your hand up!"

It was then that I could here the rumble of diesel engines rolling onto our quiet street. The engines grew loud and bombastic and then they idled off into silence. Rhiana opened the door and I could hear a scanner radio screeching out updates over the emergency radio band. The voices of several men talking in the drive grew closer accompanied by the thump of large protective boots. I could see the silhouette of a fireman's hat standing outside the door. Rhiana stepped out to greet them.

As the crew began to fill the kitchen, Rhiana leaned down and looked into my dazed eyes. "You know that whole 'In sickness and in health' thing? We haven't agreed to that yet, so try to not do something like this again for another couple of weeks. Okay?"

Okay.

misusedsuperlative.blogspot.com

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The Fellini of Clairemont High

When gang showers were standard for gym class
Next Article

Morricone Youth, Berkley Hart, Dark Entities, Black Heart Procession, Monsters Of Hip-Hop

Live movie soundtracks, birthdays and more in Balboa Park, Grantville, Oceanside, Little Italy

Vow Incited

The serrated blade squeezed through the bread and slid into my skin. My heart leapt. I jumped up in pain, dropped the knife, and clasped my finger with the opposite hand. A single crimson drop of blood formed at the tip of my left index finger. It felt like an ice pick was pressing into my chest. My hands turned numb, my vision blurred, and my stomach brewed with nausea. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. My arms dropped to my side all but incapacitated. My head bobbed into unconscious. A ringing pierced my eardrums and then faded to deep silence.

I heard someone say my name. A familiar voice in the distance.

"Jeremy. Jeremy, are you okay?"

I knew the voice but could not place it.

Again the voice called out, "Jeremy, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Sponsored
Sponsored

My senses returned. That voice is Rhiana's , I thought. A slight smile formed on my face from the sound of her voice. Yes. Now things are returning to normal .

A third time, Rhiana spoke. "Jeremy, answer me. What is going on?"

Like I had just been woken from a trance I muttered in a hushed monotone, "I cut my finger slicing the bread. It's not bad, but I'm going to pass out. Get me a chair; I don't want to fall. And can you turn off the oven?"

Rhiana agreed, "I will get you a chair, but first you have to sit down on the floor."

"No. I can stand up if you just get me a chair and turn off the oven."

Rhiana turned to get a chair. I stood and glared at the lime-green digital numbers on our pearl-white stovetop range. The numbers read "350." My mind raced with the thought of the overheated oven. "I just have to turn it off. It's only a few steps away. I will feel better once it is turned off." One step toward the stovetop and the digital numbers danced like fireflies on a summer night. One half step and the numbers swung into a streak of lime green lightning.

Darkness ensued.

I felt the cool kitchen floor tiles on my face. The hum that resonated from the refrigerator motor was slightly louder than normal. I rolled to my back, placed my hand on the windowsill, and pulled myself to the wall. My sweaty hands slid on the tile as I propped myself into a sitting position. I was then facing the stove. The cabinets and appliances appeared jumbled together in a white, clouded blob before me.

I heard that familiar voice again. "Jeremy. Jeremy! What happened? Are you okay? Why couldn't you just leave that stupid oven be?"

Crouched on the floor, I tried to hold my head up, but it sank back down. The nausea in my stomach nearly elevated to a heave. Again I tried to hold up my head, and again it fell between my shoulders.

Rhiana was frantic. "Are you okay? Can you hear me? What happened?"

I mumbled once more about the stove, and as the nausea rose I said, "Call

9-1-1."

Rhiana left the room and returned with the phone. She dialed a few chirps and dashed through the operator's query, "Hello. Yes. Medical, please. My fiancé cut his finger. He passed out, and I think he hit his head on the way down. Okay. Thank you."

Rhiana retrieved a cold, wet hand towel and pressed it to my face. "Can you hold this on your head? Let me see your finger. You are bleeding everywhere." She lifted my limp arm from the floor and folded my unscathed fingers down and out of the way. "You need to hold this hand up. Hold this paper towel on it and keep up the pressure while I get the bandages. Why didn't you listen to me and just sit down?"

Coming back to my senses, I persisted. "Did you turn off the oven?" She had left the room.

Returning again and this time agitated by the repeated question she snapped back, "Yes, the oven is off. Keep your hand up!"

It was then that I could here the rumble of diesel engines rolling onto our quiet street. The engines grew loud and bombastic and then they idled off into silence. Rhiana opened the door and I could hear a scanner radio screeching out updates over the emergency radio band. The voices of several men talking in the drive grew closer accompanied by the thump of large protective boots. I could see the silhouette of a fireman's hat standing outside the door. Rhiana stepped out to greet them.

As the crew began to fill the kitchen, Rhiana leaned down and looked into my dazed eyes. "You know that whole 'In sickness and in health' thing? We haven't agreed to that yet, so try to not do something like this again for another couple of weeks. Okay?"

Okay.

misusedsuperlative.blogspot.com

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Jazz guitarist Alex Ciavarelli pays tribute to pianist Oscar Peterson

“I had to extract the elements that spoke to me and realize them on my instrument”
Next Article

Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Love Thy Neighbor(Hood): Food & Art Exploration

Events November 2-November 6, 2024
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader