The Accident
 
   --I think this one needs an intro, so you won't be lost at the  
 beginning. This man was in an accident (work accident, not car  
 accident), so he fills out an insurance claim; the insurance contacts
 him and asks for more information. This is his response.-- 
 
     I am writing in response to your request for additional 
 information for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I 
 put "poor planning" as the cause of my accident. You said in your 
 letter that I should explain more fully and I trust the following 
 detail will be sufficient.  I am an amateur radio operator and on the 
 day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my 
 new 80 foot tower. When I had completed my work, I discovered 
 that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought up 
 about 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry 
 the now un-needed tools and material down by hand, I decided to 
 lower the items down in a small barrel by using a pulley, which 
 fortunately was attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower.  
     Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and
 loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to 
 the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow 
 decent of the 300 pounds of tools. You will note in block number 
 11 of the accident reporting form, that I weigh only 155 pounds.  
 Due to my surprise of being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I 
 lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless 
 to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the 
 tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming 
 down. This explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone. 
 Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping 
 until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the 
 pulley.
      Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of
 mind and was able to hold onto the rope in-spite-of my pain. At 
 approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the 
 ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight 
 of the tools, the barrel now weighed approximately 20 pounds. I 
 refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might 
 imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower. In the 
 vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This 
 accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations of my legs 
 and lower body.  The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough 
 to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and 
 fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, 
 however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand 
 and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me... I again lost my 
 presence of mind. I let go of the rope. 

Wil Stark, wstark04 (at) pobox _dot_com

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