pruning boy #014

EPISODE XIV: Near Miss

I think I almost died today. Or more likely, wound myself pretty bad.

The Son, The Dad, and I were doing some shrub trimming at someone’s house. The customers, an aging husband and wife, were there instructing our every move and bodily function.

At the last minute they decided for us to cut off a five-foot long stub of a limb on an oak tree. It was pretty thick (10-12 inches in diameter) and was left over from someone else’s hack job. It could be reached from a six-foot step-ladder, so The Son sent me up with our big saw, since he hired me over a year ago due to his inability to no longer climb ladders.

I made the routine pre-cuts on limbs that thick: one under cut to prevent peeling, then the first sweep before the final clean sweep.

I cut too far out on the first sweep (which I didn’t know not to), causing a long peel up to my undercut. That caused the heavy limb to swing way back and slap one of the ladder legs. The ladder flew out from under me.

There was nothing to grab on to. Plus, I had a running saw in my hand. I landed flat on my back. Somehow, my head missed the decorative bricks around the tree. And everyone said I quickly rolled out of the way of the saw and falling limb after I hit the ground. I don’t remember that.

But I do remember the four letter word that shot out of my mouth as I hit the ground. Maybe the saw was still running and nobody heard it.

I jumped up and walked away with a minor scratch on my forearm. I was shaken up a bit, but got back up in the tree and finished the final sweep.

Every morning before going to work at Son & Dad Tree Service, Inc. I pray for the CEO to protect me from harm. I chalk this up to an answered prayer if not a small miracle.

Thank you CEO.