OUCH!

OK - keeping with the Pageant theme I've got - here's a few more stories. As this was a bizarre week these stories are going to all revolve around injuries of the Pageant. I say this because we actually had to use understudies this week for some major parts. If you came to the Pageant on Thursday night you probably didn't even know what had happened. I can't say I ever remember an understudy being used in Pageant. In fact, upon talking to my Dad about this - they never even scheduled understudies back in the day. But, here's what happened. Robert Allen (he plays the Savior for the English performances. Also the guy in the "Reflections of Christ" photos.) was hurt at work on Thursday & spent the day in the ER. He had a run in with a mesquite tree (He told me the story last night.) & scratched his cornea. OUCH! So, he wasn't able to make it on Thursday or Friday. Well, Doug Shumway plays the Savior for the Spanish performances, so he was easily able to step in for Robert. Only thing is - when these gentleman are not playing the Savior they switch to the role of Peter. So, we needed an understudy for Peter. Jeff Rawls stepped in. (He's the guy that owns Jester'z that I've talked about before. Great guy!) He did wonderful by the way! In honor fo this craziness here's a few stories from my family:

1. In 1993 (roughly) we got a new donkey. We had the same donkey for as long as I could remember & she had passed away. So, we got a new one named "Peanut" & she wasn't very nice. She gave my Dad a few good bucks during practices. If I remember right, this was also the first year where a donkey didn't come on stage during a performance. She just would not do it one night. One time she bucked my Dad off & he caught the railing just right on his hand & sliced his wrist. He still has the scar to prove it. My Dad received a Purple Heart award that year from all of the apostles.

2. In 1994 (this really isn't an ouch, but an understudy had to be used) I was cast as a 10 Virgin. My first year cast as one, in fact. And I was beyond elated! The day of our first performance I received some strange news. I had had a headache for 3 or 4 days prior that I could not get rid of. Then, I had some weird bumps on my hip & face that I didn't know what they were. At the end of school I was sent to the nurse to get them checked out. Well, she told me I had the chicken pox. Keep in mind that I had already had them in kindergarten, but it was mild. Not to mention the fact that I am a senior in high school this year with chicken pox! Now that is weird. So, I had to call & quit hours before the first performance. I was heartbroken!

3. In 1987 (roughly) my Mom played Mary. Back in those days they didn't have a different Mary for each scene like they do now. So, after Mary's Lullaby (back then Mary didn't dance either) she had to rush to the other side of the stage for the Jesus in the temple scene. Where Mary & Joseph look for Jesus & find him preaching in the temples. Well, during dress rehearsal one night she was running backstage to get to her scene & tripped. Now tell me how this is logical? Backstage was a forklift. It was parked under the stage, but with the forks sticking out over the sidewalk & no lights shining on it so people could see it. So, my Mom goes running & trips over the forks & hits her head. She says it knocked her out for a second, but it gave her quite the goose egg. I remember the reahearsal being stopped & her receiving a blessing backstage & then continuing on with her part. What amazing powers a blessing has.

4. In 1988 (roughly) my Dad had another fun event. In the cleansing of the temple scene. (The one where he overthrows the money changers & foretold of his resurrection.) At one point Jesus throws over a dove cage & doves go flying out. My Dad did this during a performance just as he always has. Only this time he catches a piece of metal at the corner of the cage & it slices the palm of his hand. If you don't know my Dad let me tell you a little something about him. He hates the sight of any kind of blood! It makes him faint. Well, he cut his hand pretty good & He's onstage in the middle of a performance. He wrapped a piece of cloth around it & kept going. I was in the Jesus & the Children scene this year & I remember seeing how pale he looked & didn't know why. Then, when he came to talk to my group I saw his hand & blood coming out of a bandage around his hand. I have inherited this lovely gene of not liking blood, so I immediately feel sick on stage. Once the scene was over I had to go backstage & lay down & didn't go back out on stage. My Dad however was a trooper & just kept going. It's amazing to me to this day that he was able to do so. But, I know it's because of the help of Heavenly Father & that because my Dad was doing His work he was able to finish the performance. He was ok & didn't need stitches even though it was fairly deep. And yes, he still has the scar to prove it!