"His friends took the stairs instead of the window."

[randy_byers]

I've hesitated to post this, because it reflects poorly on a family member, but the line quoted in the Subject is so wonderfully dry I am compelled to share. The other way I talked myself into it is that this item appeared in a newspaper, so it's already a public story. Via my brother:

Oregon State Police

Friday, April 24

TAKE THE STAIRS: 12:40 a.m., Polling Hall. [My eldest nephew], 18, an OSU student, jumped from a third-story window and, after being cited for being a minor in possession of alcohol, was taken to the hospital for treatment of a possible broken ankle and elbow. Byers said he was trying to follow his friends, so he jumped out the window and landed on concrete. His friends took the stairs instead of the window. Byers blood-alcohol content registered as 0.156 percent.

My brother reports that he actually landed on dirt, not concrete. Still, he broke his fibula and tore ligaments in his elbow. There have already been serious repercussions even beyond the injuries, needless to say.

I know my brother is agonizing over this, but I know he also remembers doing similarly dumb stuff at the same age. Me too. I had to drop out for a year after my freshman year because I hadn't been mature enough to handle my introduction to the high life of the university. Maybe I'll remind my brother of that when I see him this weekend.

Still, kudos to whoever wrote that crime blotter snippet. Very droll.

Comments

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

That's certainly a sober reminder of how serious the consequences of such poor judgment can be. I'm hopeful that this will be a wake up call for my nephew. Nothing like broken bones and humiliation to focus the mind.