more first times

April 10. It was such a quiet evening that DP decided to do some serious work on his bicycle. New pedals, sprockets, cog-wheels and chain type of work. After an hour or two I heard, in quick succession, the sound of breaking glass, strong language, a very urgent doorbell.
When I opened the door DP was doubling over in pain, holding his arm, bleeding all over the place, asking me to get something to stop the bleeding. I picked a dark towel and called 911.
Someone sensible answered the phone and after making sure it was an accident and not a fight instructed to remove the towel again to check how serious the bleeding was. It felt scary and boy did it look scary, but the blood wasn't gushing on the rhythm of his pulse. So, not life threatening then, and no ambulance. But I was still panicking a bit, and rang the neighbours' doorbell. She was home, but he was gone with the car so she couldn't bring DP to the ER. Same story for the neighbours at the other side! thank goodness our neighbour kept her wits, gave DP something to drink, wrapped him in a fleece blanket and suggested I call a taxi.
Since DP is not great with blood and needles I decided to go with him, and realised we had to take Suzy as well. Even though my neighbour offered to look after her. But I had no expressed milk stored at all.
During the taxi ride DP and I recovered from the shock and realised that it was a nasty cut, but nothing too bad as the bleeding had tapered of considerably.
And so we arrived back at the hospital where Suzy was born a few weeks earlier. But now the roles were reversed: I was carrying the maxi cosi with Suzy, and we were there to support DP. Which she did by being cute and quiet for two hours.
DP was stitched up and now walks around showing people his Frankenstein picture. And advises people to not stumble over your tool box in a bike shed with single glass window panes.

The day after my father came by and spoke the memorable words

"Valery, you may want to remove the blood from your doorbell"

I did.