Sunday, May 07, 2017

The Line Writer Rediscovered

Noah

I want to publicly thank all of you who have offered support during this difficult time period. As you may know from reading my previous entry, my grandson Noah, a.k.a. The Line Writer, was involved in a serious car wreck yesterday evening. He was ejected from his car at highway speed and the vehicle ended up on top of him. He is conscious and fairly lucid, with a bit of short-term memory issues. He has a broken shoulder and burns to his face, other shoulder and torso from being pinned against the car's hot exhaust pipes after the wreck. There are also bad abrasions from "road rash," along with major bruising. He is expected to be hospitalized for several weeks while he undergoes skin grafts for the burns. Then will come a lengthy period of rehabilitation. But we are only taking this day by day.

Today, after returning from a hospital visit, I was leafing through a folder of Noah's old typings and unearthed some short pieces that were never published to his Line Writer blog, which I have now done so.

I was reflecting on these short typings, many just snippets no longer than a Tweet or Facebook posting. Yet here they are, some seven or so years later. The lesson I take from this is to never underestimate the power of planting a typewriter in a kid's life, even if he does lose interest in it after starting puberty and the only remaining evidence is a folder of these paper scraps. Plant the seed, water it, give it some light and stand back, because you never know what might spring forth, perhaps many years later.

Today at the hospital Noah was asking if I'd draw him some mazes for him to solve. Sure, I said. But now, as I sit here typing, I'm think that this marvelous kid probably said that as much to make me feel better as for himself. That's why he's such a great person. I suppose now I better get busy drawing. As my friend Michael told me today, "God's got this." And I believe him.

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6 Comments:

Blogger Ted said...

Ugh, can't imagine how that must feel. Best wishes for his healing - it's a good kid that thinks of grandpa when he's burnt & dazed. Perhaps he could use a new typer as he recovers, something slow & easy with good rubber to keep it on the road. (:

8:58 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Hi Joe,

I'm so sorry to hear about Noah's accident, but I agree with your friend Michael - God's got this. It helps to know that, of course, but it doesn't make it go away either. So I'll be thinking of you, and Noah, and your family as Noah recovers. (I enjoyed reading his new/old posts - thanks for publishing them).

I am on my way in your direction tomorrow for my annual working retreat in NM. Taking a new - to me - SC SilentSuper with script font, and a Tower President. So starting tomorrow night, my prayers will be traveling a shorter distance than Denver, from whence they come to you tonight.

David

9:47 PM  
Blogger SteveK said...

So sorry to hear about your grandson's accident. I hope his recovery is a speedy one.

12:24 AM  
Blogger RichardBillWood said...

Hi Joe,

I've just read both of your posts. I'm truly sorry. Poor lad, sounds absolutely horrendous for him.

Your feelings are very similar to how I would react in those circumstances and it's really hard to like your fellow man sometimes when the good guys always seem to get hurt and the world appears so messed up at times. He sounds like a great kid. Was really good to read his other work.

I think in between the pain of his recovery , he will feel extremely blessed that he has the love and support of such a great Grandpa and Grandma and I would hope the rest of the family too.

Thinking of you all at this difficult time.

Stay strong Joe



3:15 AM  
Blogger pdlagasse said...

Thanks for the update. Marvelous, indeed! What a brave, upstanding young man. Good signs, all of the above. And thanks for posting the "lost" Line Writer posts. I'll go read them now. I remember reading his posts years ago. Perhaps he will feel the urge to write his way through his recovery.

6:54 AM  
Blogger uomoartificiale said...

Hang in there joe. Let your thirst for discovery and imagination guide your grandson in his rehabilitation.

2:41 PM  

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