Yesterday was an anniversary of sorts for Bobby and me. Not the anniversary of our first date or wedding or the day we got engaged or anything like that, but still, a day we remember every year.
It was the day he cut his thumb off.
At school.
Romantic, yes?
September 29, 1995 Bobby and I were seniors in high school. We weren’t even dating but we were close friends, and had been since he’d ripped my heart out and stomped on it our freshman year (you’re welcome for that one, honey.) Yes, we’d been a couple our freshman year, but then he had the GALL to break UP with me! And somehow, we remained good friends after that. Weird, I know.
Anyways. Bobby was in 2nd period Junior Achievement class making I don’t know, wooden checkerboards or something with a saw, and the board jammed, and fast as lightning drew his hand into the saw, taking off a good part of his right thumb.
Did I mention he had a substitute teacher in class that day? Poor girl!
(Of course we had a group presentation in Personal Finance 3rd period that day and Bobby was in my group. Since he was um, indisposed, he ended up getting the same “A” the rest of us got, you’re welcome again, honey!)
Anyways, fast forward through sirens, lights, EMTs, and emergency surgery, and all the King’s Horses and all the King’s Men cannot put Bobby’s thumb back together again. My mom and I went to visit him in the hospital the next day. When we were saying goodbye, my mom gave him the “thumbs up” sign and said “Hang in there, Bobby!” The THUMBS UP sign, people! It’s a legendary family joke to this day!
To make a long story short, after this incident, Bobby and I started spending a LOT of time together. He missed about three weeks of school and since he was in three of my classes, I brought him all his homework and helped him with it. Since he couldn’t write and he was on narcotics, you know, he needed a “hand” (ba-dum-bum-SHHHSSHH!) He was bored out of his gourd being home all the time so I took him to the mall and the Family Bookstore to buy Christian rap CDs in my ’87 Toyota Camry station wagon. Those months, despite the giant bandage on Bobby’s hand, were some of the most fun of our lives.
And after my long-distance boyfriend of the time broke my heart, Bobby was there to pick it up. Homeboy made his move on December 16, 1995 and we’ve been together ever since.
So, Bobby cutting off his thumb was kind of one of the best things to ever happen to us, because it brought us together.
Half a digit? A small price to pay for a lifetime of love!
I love you, Bobby.
I’m such a sap. This was such a great post. Although I don’t think I’ve met the girl that’s worth half my thumb…but that might be why I’m single.
oh jenny. i laughed myself silly over this post. i also gave it a…wait for it…THUMBS UP on stumble. love you, girl!
OK, this family is just a walkin’ Springer Show! Thumbs up sign…WTG Diane!! And why have I never noticed that the man only has half a thumb? Really!!
You forgot the part about when we’d go out to eat we couldnt do the “last one to put his or her thumbs up has to pray” thing… instead we’d have to use our pointer fingers 😉
Would it be horrible to say that was funny? I mean, you said, ‘homeboy made his move’. What a story! 😉
This really made me laugh. Thumbs up from Mom. Classic!
Also, I’ve been thumb-wrestling the twins every night at bedtime. Weirdly, it’s our thing right now. Just thought you should know. 🙂
I remember that day!! I was just jealous that he got to lug around a lap top to class- or whatever it was. Were there lap tops in 1995??
When I was in junior high, my dad chopped the tip off his thumb with the lawn mower, along with 2 other fingers. We could never find the pieces, which means they’re still out in the yard (surely decomposed, ew) somewhere, some almost 20 years later. Good times!
hey cortney, i don’t think it was a lap top, i think it was a cell phone : ) i was hopin to hear the details of that story. beautiful! still the sweetest i’ve ever met, not sure how bobby would of not fallen for her. yeah, you guys and rap music, we really need to talk. although, i did see the grateful in concert during high school…so…nevermind : )
as bobby’s sister…gotta tell you all another part of the bobby/jenny story…that year shortly after the thumb went bye bye. bobby went to homecoming with my sister in law on my husbands side…after homecoming she told me she knew they – bobby and jenny – were going to end up married just by how they talked to each other at homecomming…she called it. the rest of us thought it too but did not say anything…we love you jen!
Let’s just say that I get rattled when I walk into a hospital. I also spilled apple juice all over my fa-in-law just after he had open heart surgery.
Bobby was always my pick for Jenny. When I would tease her about him (before the thumb incident), she would say, “The dream is dead,Mom.” Shows how much she knew!
Ha ha ha! Love it!