The Rugby Ball

It's been awhile since I have written anything. Most of the last bunch of posts have been written by Sabrina.

We visited a local church and as we were leaving we noticed a rugby ball down in a one of the gutters. Gutters in America tend to be small, but this gutter was more like an exposed sewer line. I've never been good at judging distances or heights, and I knew this was deep but it was a lot deeper than I realized. I also knew Luke wouldn't be able to get out but I figured I could get Drew back out. I actually didn't need to urge Drew to go but Sabrina was very adamant we shouldn't go down.

Drew climbed over the edge, let himself down and let go. For just an instant it looked like he was going to stick the landing but he fell in the bottom and there is a small channel running down the middle with water and he managed to sit in it. Drew didn't seem too upset but his mom was. He threw the ball out to me and then we set out to pull him up.

This is where I realized how deep the gutter was. Drew is 4'10''. With his hands outstretched above him he was just able to grasp the top of the drainage ditch. The walls were covered with moss and slippery so I had to pull him out on my own. Unfortunately the first 6 or 7 tries I was not able to get him out. Sabrina has stopped watching and is standing off a little ways away. I am starting to panic and I think so is Drew. But we decide to try again and this time a stranger on his way past helps us out.

As soon as we get to the bus stop, I tell Drew to change his clothes and take a shower when we get home. Being the boy he is he never does but thankfully he didn't get sick.