Unless you want to look stupid, follow my advice...DON'T HANG ON.

I learned how to run a ski lift at Mansfield, Ohio's Snow Trails Ski Area & Resort. Too bad I didn't learn how to exit gracefully...

The first year I ran the lift, I was given "on the job" training; was shown how to operate the lift, how to load the lift, & shown what to do if someone fell while getting on or off the lift, & then turned loose, as lift operators.

The second year, we were given more detailed instruction. After the instructions were over, we would be given a written test; if we passed, we'd be full-fledged ski lift operators; if not, too bad...

All of us lift operators-to-be rode up the lift, & were shown the top unloading station. When the lesson was over, we were to stand on the unloading ramp & wait for the next available chair. When it came, we were to sit down, ride it around the bullwheel, & have a nice, enjoyable ride down. (Of course, there would be some clowns riding up the lift who yelled, "You're going the wrong way!! You're not supposed to ride DOWN the hill!! Hey, that's cheating!!!")

That's the way it was supposed to happen.

When my turn came to sit down on the chair, I slipped; the edge of the seat hit me in the middle of my back; reflex caused me to reach behind me & grab onto the back of the chair lift. Whipped around the bullwheel, I panicked. Instead of letting go up near the top, where I would have only fallen a distance of about 8 feet, I hung on.

Dummy.

I held on & tried to pull myself up onto the seat of the ski lift. I didn't have the stregnth to do that, although believe me, I tried my best. I just held on. (Thank God, there were no skiers riding up, or I wouldn't hear the end of it.)

About half-way down, my arms started tiring; I saw a tree & decided it would be best if I tried to land in that if I fell...maybe the branches would break my fall. I was around 30 feet up at this point.

I should have let go up top...

Well, I missed the tree.

That was the longest fall I've ever experienced. It seemed to take forever. I remember thinking, "THIS is gonna hurt..." Your life really DOES pass before your eyes. I also remember thinking, "How much longer befo--"

WHAAAAMMMMMMM!!!!!!!! Landed in snow & mud.

THAT'S how much longer. Dang, that was a sudden stop. I landed on my feet, kind of folded, wound up on my hands & knees, & whanged my head on the snow. (I can still hear the noise.) The fall wasn't the bad part, it was that hard stop at the end.

My glasses flew off my face, & I couldn't breathe. If only I could breathe, I'd be okay...I managed to roll over & AIR...beautiful, life-giving air rushed into my grateful lungs. I shakily stood up, squinted around, looking for my glasses, & heard my fellow lift operators-to-be yelling, "ARE YOU OKAY???"

No big deal...I just fell 30 feet, no problem! Broke my glasses, though...Mom was gonna kill me. (WHY can't you take better care of your glasses?? They aren't cheap!)

I looked up to where I fell, & one of the operators said, "Dang, you just fell 30 feet. Are you okay?" THAT'S when I sat down & got sick, just thinking about how close to death I could have been. I sat there for a little bit, getting my bearings back, then got up & walked down the rest of the way. I insisted on taking the written test, was told I didn't have to, but I did anyway...& passed!!

Man, I won't tell you that I did not get hurt...even though I had NO broken bones, strains or sprains (not even a concussion), my whole body ACHED. My hair hurt. My teeth hurt. My toenails hurt. My skin pores hurt...you get the idea...man, I was sore all OVER!! Could hardly move, I was so stove up.

Then, my darling twin sister wants to go Christmas shopping that night. I'm trying to keep up with her, but am walking in a very s-l-o-w shuffle...she finally got tired of that & rented me a wheelchair. Of course, wouldn't you know it, EVERYBODY we knew wanted to know what happened...I hurt for three days.

Mom, I kinda told a lie...I told her I'd fallen 15 feet off of the ski lift, so she wouldn't get too upset & forbid me from skiing EVER again. I had to tell everyone else the same thing, or else it would have gotten back to Mom, & I'd be forbidden to ski EVER again. But, it was actually around 30 feet. Sorry about that...

Needless to say, my boss would introduce me to VIPs that visited Snow Trails as the "Lift Operator Who Fell 30 Feet Off Of Her Own Lift & Lived!"