For those of you who are familiar with what we affectionately call the “high country”, it will be easier to understand the little story I am about to unfold. Somewhere between the not so warm spring days and the cool evenings, there often are 40 to 50 mile-an-hour winds with gusts that reach even higher.

Just this week, after a couple of days of heavy rains, I was walking from the Wellness Center to Bare Essentials Natural Market, which is just across the street, not more than a fifty yard trek.

It was cold enough to wear a coat but not cold enough to zipper it up and as I began my walk up the stairs behind Bare Essentials, hands in my pockets and body bent against the howling wind, I was literally picked up like a kite and was on my way down the stairs and to a nasty fall. I was able to get my balance momentarily as I felt myself falling, coat filled like a spinnaker sail as the next gust of wind picked me up and pushed me backwards again. At this point, mentally freaked out, I was able to get my left hand out of my pocket and grab ahold of the steel rail and was wrenched back against the cement wall as my arm was twisted trying my best to hold on against the pounding wind.

I really don’t remember when I came to the realization that I had narrowly missed a serious accident and the thought of that old Amy Grant song “Angels Watching Over Us” came to mind. But it could of been bad—falling backwards down a flight of concrete steps.

However, when I told my story to the crew at work, I guess the image of “little ole me” being literally picked up like a kite was Vaudevillian enough to elicit belly laughs that the Beatles may have had in mind when they wrote “Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite” and sang:

Over men and horses hoops and garters
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire
In this way Mr. K will challenge the world

The celebrated Mr. K
Performs his feats on Saturday at Bishopsgate
The Henderson’s will dance and sing
As Mr. Kite flies through the ring, don’t be late

Messrs K. and H. assure the public
Their production will be second to none

Enough said. Hope your ride is better than my wind-full one.