Don'tTouchThatBelt_A7R5132 1
I've carried this little scar everyday since sometime in 1950 or 1951. I was watching my mother do laundry. The machine she was using was what is known as a wringer washer. It just a tub in which there was an agitator. On top were a set of rollers that the clothes were put through to wring out the water. It was driven by an electric motor mounted under the tub and connected to the washers mechanism by a drive belt. This was not a new machine. It was something my Dad had scrounged up by way of his family and it was there to fill a need until he could afford a new one. The closest image I could find on the web was of a machine from the thirties. At any rate the drive belt was not covered. Safety was the responsibility of the consumer. Back to me. Mom was busy doing our laundry. She noticed me being interested in the electric motor and the spinning belt. "Chucky, don't touch that belt!" No sooner had she turned her back than I had touched the belt and had blood running from the gash that created the scar pictured. This scar is what should have been a daily reminder of a valuable lesson that I carry to this day. Alas no, it's a harbinger of a character trait that has served to both propel and hinder me throughout my life. If somebody tells me I can't, I'm more likely to go ahead and try what ever I've been told I'm incapable of doing. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't but I generally feel better knowing the answer by way of effort and experience. HMM! Thanks for any views, faves and comments.
Don'tTouchThatBelt_A7R5132 1
I've carried this little scar everyday since sometime in 1950 or 1951. I was watching my mother do laundry. The machine she was using was what is known as a wringer washer. It just a tub in which there was an agitator. On top were a set of rollers that the clothes were put through to wring out the water. It was driven by an electric motor mounted under the tub and connected to the washers mechanism by a drive belt. This was not a new machine. It was something my Dad had scrounged up by way of his family and it was there to fill a need until he could afford a new one. The closest image I could find on the web was of a machine from the thirties. At any rate the drive belt was not covered. Safety was the responsibility of the consumer. Back to me. Mom was busy doing our laundry. She noticed me being interested in the electric motor and the spinning belt. "Chucky, don't touch that belt!" No sooner had she turned her back than I had touched the belt and had blood running from the gash that created the scar pictured. This scar is what should have been a daily reminder of a valuable lesson that I carry to this day. Alas no, it's a harbinger of a character trait that has served to both propel and hinder me throughout my life. If somebody tells me I can't, I'm more likely to go ahead and try what ever I've been told I'm incapable of doing. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't but I generally feel better knowing the answer by way of effort and experience. HMM! Thanks for any views, faves and comments.