SHOWER CURTAINS #4

It is becoming much more common now to run into people who have had the misfortune and trauma of having a wet plastic/fabric shower curtain slide over and grab them unexpectedly while they were showering. Like Rusty Rutledge, while singing a sweet little hymn from childhood days and enjoying the suds and warm bath with his eyes closed… Bam! Out of nowhere, because of a straight shower curtain rod instead of a bowed one, the plastic shower curtain wrapped itself around Rusty’s left arm, neck and the side of his head. With screaming fear he tried to get help from his wife Pauline. She did not hear him and by the time he got out and was half-dressed he needed a trip to the ER Psycho Unit.

Rusty takes little white, blue and yellow pills three times a day now. After seven months of intense counseling, the loss of his job and almost the loss of Pauline… he has done what so many of the wounded have done to try and get well: reach out to others. Rusty started a meeting of Shower Curtain Victims and their main function is to open up and talk about their personal attack and then listen to others tell about theirs, while eating chocolate chip cookies and drinking coffee (or milk).

All those attending the meetings have mounted a 15-inch piece of the shower curtain that attacked them and made them into a framed wall plaque hanging like a trophy. It is an empowerment to help overcome the fear and trauma. Each meeting they all come and bring their Curtain Trophies, and openly try to tell of their experience. Rusty has a new job at the Post Office, works nights, and hardly talks to anyone and hardly ever bathes. He is doing better now.

No really, this is what happened.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus