Beach umbrellas impaling East Coast women
[ by Charles Cameron — the writer is an indoors man, both literally and in GM Hopkins’ metaphorical sense ]
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The first event took place in Seaside Heights, NJ, and the second in Ocean City, MD:
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One instance, I have always argued, is a poor indicator of anything — but two instances could be early indicators of a trend.
Two beach umbrella impalings in about a week seems less than plausible by coincidence — it looks like there’s a master plan at work, and while the first umbrella pierced an ankle, the second reached the chest. It is time to take notice, and prepare appropriate defenses..
Instance #1:
A pleasant day at the Jersey shore turned into a bloody nightmare for a British sunbather when a gust of wind blew an umbrella straight through her ankle, officials said.
Margaret Reynolds, 67, of London was impaled by one of the tips of the aluminum umbrella, which turned into a projectile about 4:30 p.m. Monday in Seaside Heights, police Detective Steve Korman told The Post.
Instance #2:
OCEAN CITY, Md. — A spokeswoman for a Maryland beach town says a woman has been accidentally impaled in the chest by a beach umbrella.
Ocean City spokeswoman Jessica Waters said it happened Sunday afternoon on the beach. She says the 54-year-old woman was conscious, but that her condition is not known at this time.
A bolt-cutter was used to help withdraw the projectile from the British tourist in Instance #1, whiln a helicopter airlift to a nearby hospital was required in instance #2.
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Sources:
New York Post, Tourist impaled by beach umbrella on Jersey Shore New York Post, Woman impaled in chest by beach umbrella
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I am happy to re-report of the woman in instance #2, the more grievously attacked of the two:
She was flown to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
We wish her a speedy recovery.
Of the woman in instance #1, I take pleasure in re-noting:
Reynolds was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment and has been discharged.
A satisfactory conclusion to a difficult affair.
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The perpetrator in each case would appear to be the wind:
A pleasant day at the Jersey shore turned into a bloody nightmare for a British sunbather when a gust of wind blew an umbrella straight through her ankle, officials said.
Witnesses said one gust lifted the umbrella
No winds have been apprehended at this time. John 3.8:
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: