How it happened

I injured my right knee one Saturday in October 2002, during rehearsals for Raleigh Little Theatre's Jack and the Beanstalk. We'd just finished a tech rehearsal and we had decided to go to the open space near the Rose Garden behind the theatre complex to play a game of "two hand touch" American football.

It was a great game and we were enjoying ourselves. I was chasing after Timmy O'Connor who had the ball. He turned sharply to the right to avoid me grabbing him (I mean touching him - it was touch football afterall!). I attempted to follow, but didn't make it.  Perhaps I also managed to step in a depression, but I'm not sure - it may have been largely flat ground. 

Anyway, I ended up on the ground in a fair bit of pain around my right knee.

After 5 minutes on the ground, my friends helped me up and with their help, I hobbled toward the trees.  In the meantime, Andy Parks ran up to the theatre, grabed a bag and filled it with ice, and brought it back for me. So I sat on the ground for about 30-60 minutes while they continued to play.  Of course I helped with the cheersquad section.

Fortunately, the swelling wasn't too bad.  I was wearing jeans, and my knee wasn't swollen enough to fill the pant leg, so that was good.  At the end of the game, I hobbled up to my car and called Kiron to tell her what had happened.  I drove home.