I still say it was the ants’ fault.

A few years ago, we were visiting some relatives in Ormond Beach, Fla. On every trip, we have a tradition of driving south to Pirate’s Cove Miniature Golf in Daytona. It’s a lot of fun and they have pirate trivia signs everywhere. Who knew pirates could be so interesting?

Anyway, on this one trip, my mom and stepfather went with us to Pirate’s Cove. After the game, we were going to go to the Starbucks in the local mall on Granada Blvd. and then do some shopping. So I dressed nicer than a tank top and shorts. And instead of my tennis shoes, I slipped on my flip flops with the shiny silver bling across the top.
Let’s just say that game of putt putt didn’t go exactly as planned.

I made a putt and, as usual, my ball came nowhere near the hole. As for me, it’s an act of God if I make a hole-in-one. Then I stepped off the green for the next putter, Dick, who’s my step-father.

That’s when my mom called out, “Watch it! There’s ants behind you.”

I looked down to see an ant hill in the grass behind me and they were coming my way. Normally, I don’t get upset at seeing ants, but I didn’t want to find out the hard way what kind of ants they were. You see, Florida has fire ants.

Instinctively I took a step forward to get away from them. That’s when Tim said, “You can’t step on the green. Dick just made his putt!”

Unfortunately for me, I had just placed my foot on the stone edging on the greenway. I tried to stop and spin around at the same time. Since I had on my fancy “smancy” flip flops, I couldn’t regain my balance. It was irretrievably gone.

I did manage to careen across the greenway without stopping Dick’s putt putt ball in play. That was a good thing. Then I fell into the stone edging on the other side, scraping my shin in several places. Next I went down on the grass and continued to roll down the hill.

The course was located on a man-made hill with a fence around it. Somehow I stopped rolling before I reached the fence.

Then I did what I normally do after I have an accident. I immediately popped back up while saying, “I’m good. I’m good.”

Only I wasn’t.

Blood was oozing down my shin. Some of the rock edges had gouged small holes into my leg. My mother pulled out all the tissues she had in her purse and gave them to me to dab up blood. That’s when the pain started. My leg just didn’t hurt; it burned like fire. Maybe I’d been better off swatting at the fire ants.

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself, but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Proverbs 27:12 (KJV)

In my defense, I did see the potential evil, but I didn’t think before I reacted. I should’ve calmly stepped aside where I would’ve been out of the ants’ way. But oh no, I carried on in a panic mode and I paid the price.

My mom asked if I wanted to quit the game. I told her, “No way.” Not only did I finish playing the game, but I also went shopping. But before we shopped, I went to a drug store and bought stuff to give my leg first aid. You know, I probably should keep a first aid kit nearby at all times.