It was dusk on a wonderful Leap Day and I am ready to see the Pirates game.

We pick up my friend Jake and we are off to the arena. The night couldn't be better; all the chaos that usually is going on before the game is seemingly quiet. I couldn't imagine anything ever going wrong. The ticket lines are still packed like always, but everyone is just happy and content with waiting. This has potential to be an exciting night. When we enter through those promising blue doors, it eliminates all stress and somehow relaxes you with the cold air coming off the ice. Luckily, I remembered my lucky 2004 Red Sox word series champs winter hat to keep me warm.

I stop and take in the momentum of the roaring crowd. How can it be so calm behind a door and so alive on the other side? When I see that row 7 is completely empty, I grab the chance to upgrade my seats from row 8. This is something I don't do too often, but it isn't like the other people are coming any time soon. I turn and asked my mom "Can we please move down to the row in front?" She acceptingly replies "Sure! Why not!".

The game is a real nail biter. It seems to be every time the Pirates scored, the other team would answer back. It is 4-4 in the third period with 12:39 left to go when "GOAL!". The Pirates take the lead 5-4. I wasn't even expecting so good of an outcome. When they were tied, I felt a load of weight on my shoulders. Since they went ahead, all burdens are gone, and I can relax. The crowd is roaring in awe that we are actually wining again. When the puck drops and the Pirates settle it in their zone, the game is back on again.

My eyes begin to scan the ice ignorantly when I loose focus and watch the opponents goalie slam his stick against the ice. His level of frustration amazes me. How can someone be so mad that they almost break a hockey stick? I turn my head to find the puck and continue watching the game again, when I catch a glance of a hovering puck gliding over the plexiglass towards my direction. The world instantly freezes in time and I can not move out of the way. I feel weight on my shoulders again clinging me down to the icy seat. I can hear the frozen chunk of rubber approach me, it is almost humming. My ignorance to follow the puck at all times has betrayed me with an unwanted fate. All of a sudden, I see a hand swat the puck misdirecting it from my face, but it wasn't going to settle for a miss... The puck leveled back out and struck me on the top of my forehead. As it struck my double layered lucky hat, it ricocheted behind me an astonishing 6 rows up, into a woman in her mid 60's hands. I instantly forget what had just happened. I look at her as if she just snatched it from no where. I become extremely confused when the roaring crowd becomes silent, and starts staring at me like I just raised a gun on them. I was creeped out by this and quite scared. My eyes burn and are twitching like there is an earthquake. My mom and Dad come rushing to me asking if I got hit. I reply "No I didn't, but that was a good catch that lady had".


My mom lifts my hat up receive an unpleasant handful of blood. A stream slides down past my eye and straight over my mouth. The blood has a metallic tang that cannot be swallowed. I spit it on the ground as my mom and my dad grab me and walk me to the hallway where the ushers are setting up a medical station. They temporarily stop the bleeding long enough to ship me to Maine Medical Center. My brain is still frozen by the un-real change to my ignorant mind. It just chopped off all of my knowledge of the night, like it was nothing.

My dad ran to get the car while we waited by the exit. I could tell it was bad when I saw the expression on my moms face, it was pale and blank. This made me feel uncomfortable, like I was going to die. I could see her trying to hide her fear from me, but it didn't work. It felt like I had been there for days waiting for my dad, even though it was probably only 10 minutes. I felt fine, but this was probably due the adrenaline rush scrambling through my veins. I can see people staring at me while I hold the bloody bandage on my forehead. All of them are oblivious of dangers in that arena. My dad abruptly yanks the car to the side of the road to become my ambulance.

The hospital was very calm and welcoming they put me in their pediatrics unit. I feel safe whenever I smell the cleaner. It is so strong, germ free and just there to serve my every need. My room was small, but very cozy. It had a small tv to kill time with. This seemingly made the bad situation better. I wasn't scared, I just wanted to go home. I was watching franklin on tv when I became sleepy. This was due to my very obvious concussion.

I woke up to 3 doctors in my room staring at me. They asked me a few easy questions, like what is my birthday, can I count down from 30 by three's, etc. I felt the right answers flow from my mouth, but they were all wrong. My eager confidence made my results seem more server. After I answered the questions they all gave me the look. The "i'm so sorry your screwed up" look. I am not intimidated by the doctors, but I'm curious why there are so many. Another doctor rolls in a tray of tools. Now I feel intimidated. The head doctor asks me if I'm ready to get fixed up. I say of course lets get this over. My fearlessness masked the amount of stress and fear bubbling inside. This was the first time I had to get stitches. Me being ignorant had screwed me once this night, so why not twice? This too adds stress.

They have me roll over on my left side so that my wound would be easily accessible. It wasn't the slightest bit freaky until they put the towel over me, it was a towel with a square cut out to work on my head. Now It got serious, all the games were over I had seen the needle on the cart of tools, but I had my mind convinced that it wasn't for me. I felt the sharp sting enter my forehead it entered with ease, but the sensation wasn't real. There is a normal pain to shots, but this is 100% different that taking a shot to the forehead. I worried they were going to go in too far and somehow puncture my brain. It was a cool stream of Lidocaine that entered. It felt so cold that I almost shivered. The arctic fluid was not a bad thing though, it released all feeling of that area. No more pain, almost like it didn't happen. With no pain it brings weird sensations. When they put each stitch one by one in my head, it feels like a bug is crawling, that weird tickle that makes you crazy. The stitches were finally over with, and so was this treacherous night. The most deadly weapon is ourselves, when we become ignorant. It's like leaving the door open all night; you're bound to get robbed. Our ignorance is what opens us to life changing fates.