Monte Carlo

 Every time I look down at my right foot I'm reminded of  Monte Carlo. We all tend to remember the place where something important has happened to us. It was a long time ago. I‘d gone there  to install some equipment for a big exhibition. My colleague and I picked up a hire car at Nice airport, and off we went on that famous road to Monaco. It was a hair-raising experience all those bends on the corniche with a sheer drop down to the sea. I’d seen it all on James Bond films and here I was experiencing the real thing.

"Wasn't it here that Princess Grace's car went off?" I asked my mate.

 "Yes, her brakes gave up. Now you keep your eyes on the road - we don't want to go down there and see." my mate said.  When we got to Monte Carlo, the view down towards the port was breathtaking. The blue water with all the yachts each one more beautiful than the other.

"We've got some time before the trucks arrive with the equipment, let's stop and have a drink at one of the waterfront cafes." I said. We could sat here and admire the huge yachts that looked like luxury liners. You could just imagine the parties and receptions on those things. Not for us I thought. We had to get to the exhibition centre and get everything ready. There'd be plenty of time once the show started to have some fun.

By the evening, the truck had arrived and we worked right through the night getting everything installed and working. "Leave it all running, we'll trim things up before the show starts," I said. We were pretty tired now and there was a risk we might mess things up at the end. Our accomodation was pretty handy, just across from the exhibition centre. Time to get a few hours' sleep and get back for the morning start I thought as I got into bed and closed my eyes. I could have sworn that it was only half an hour later when the alarm went off.I wearily rolled out of my bed and made for the bathroom. I fumbled and swayed back and forth like a drunken sailor but I managed to get into the bath and turn on the shower. 

As I groped around pulling the curtain and reaching for the controls trying to adjust the jet before getting under it,  I lost my balance and trying to steady myself, I leaned towards the wall and grabbed at the heavy glass soap holder.  As I swayed back away from the wall, I lost my foothold and needed to hold onto something to steady me up. To my dismay the glass holder came down, hit the edge of the bath and smashed into pieces, one of which fell and sliced my foot deep into the flesh. It all happened so quickly and I was still pretty drowzy from lack of sleep. There was blood everywhere! I never knew that I had so much of the stuff. The shock woke me up good and proper though.  I took the towel from the rack above me - there was no phone in the bathroom so I'd have to run right across the carpet  and mess everything up. What a bloody mess. I had to get some help and pretty quick.

I stepped out of the bath, wrapped the towel around my foot and hobbled back to the bedside to call for help. I also called my mate in the next room to come and give me a hand. I needed some help to get dressed. After this, all I remember is being driven in an ambulance to the hospital at the top of the town. There I was treated by a couple of nurses who stitched my foot together.

"You won't be going to the beach with that foot" one of them said.

"What beach?" I replied. " I've got to go to work."

"Not with this you won't. You mustn't put any pressure on it , otherwise the stiches will give and you'll break the tendons. Total rest the doctor ordered."

"Looks like the show is over for you Joe. You'll have five days here on your balcony, and then we'll ship you home. But don't worry, we'll keep you up to date on events, " my friend said. They took me back to the hotel where I was to spend the time with my leg high up on a chair - at least most of the time.