A Quick Dip in Millikan Pond
May 1, 2005 – 1:15 pmMillikan is the big library here on the Caltech campus, and directly to the eastern side of Millikan lies a rectangular pond, maybe 40 feet by 20 feet in size and about a foot in depth. Ariele and I were eating lunch today while sitting on the westward facing bench, looking at the pond in front of us and then Millikan behind it. Two grown ladies were standing next to the pond watching three small kids, two little girls and a little boy.
A walkway arches slightly over the pond, cutting the rectangular shape into two squares about 20 feet by 20 feet each. The walkway itself might be four feet or so wide. The kids were all riding their plastic tricycles around the pond and occasionally over the arched walkway. If I were to say one kid fell in, which one would it be? Of course it would be the little boy.
I’m watching the little guy ride his tricycle, and he’s cutting it close every now and again taking the turn from riding around the perimeter of the pond to making it onto the walkway. Sure enough, one time he takes the turn a little too tight, and “splash!”, you see the tricycle floating upside down in the water, and a split second later you see this little head of wet hair come springing through the surface. Of course the little guy has his “the sky is falling” cry going, and you could tell he just scared the hell out of himself.
The two ladies come hustling over and grab him and the bike out of the water. He’s still losing it. They dry him off, and one of the ladies is wearing a long sleeve shirt over her t-shirt, so she takes that off and wraps the little boy in it. Within a few minutes, the little guy is fine, no more crying, and he’s staring very curiously at the pond, as though to say “Who in the hell do you think you are? That was my tricycle, damn it.” Okay, maybe he wasn’t thinking those exact same words, but the look on his face sure translated that effect. So, the five of them go down to look at the turtles in the other ponds in the rock garden, the little boy dragging the tail of a shirt that is longer than he is tall. Too funny, and too cute.
4 Responses to “A Quick Dip in Millikan Pond”
My dad had a great way of dealing with me when I would do things like that as a kid. He’d say: “Well, did you learn anything?” As long as the answer was “Yes”, then all was good. Needless to say, I learned a lot as a kid, such as:
Watch where you’re going when riding your tricycle. (which is why your story really resonates with me)
Playing with matches is okay, as long as you’re careful and don’t mind getting burned.
Knives are designed to cut things. Your fingers count as “things”.
Short circuiting high voltage batteries results in lots of fire, smoke, and molten metal. Also, there is the associated: Hooking up several batteries to the model train, when only one is needed, usually results in the train derailing… catastrophically.
Then there’s the broad spectrum “A man’s got to know his limitations.” My dad’s favorite Dirty Harry line. I learned this lesson in several installments, most of which involve bikes, sleds, attempts to show off, and lots of pain. I now have a scar on my the palm of my left hand that I think of as my “a-man’s-got-to-know-his-limitations” scar.
By Adam on May 1, 2005 at 4:38 pm
Wow, you’ve got some good childhood accident stories. Very funny indeed.
I don’t know if the little boy who got soaked in Millikan pond will remember his spill as he gets older, but even if he doesn’t, I imagine he hasn’t heard the last of it.
By jjk on May 1, 2005 at 4:50 pm
Yeah, I was five years old when I had my tricycle accident (actually, I was on my Big Wheel). Old enough to remember the accident. It was the only time I’ve broken any bones (*knock-on-wood*). Hairline fracture to my (right? left? don’t remember) wrist. I had to keep my wrist in a removable cast (essentially a splint) for ALL OF ETERNITY (or two weeks… it felt like eternity at that age).
It’s kind of cool, through the magic of Google I can actually SHOW you where the accident took place! It happened right here. Zoom all the way in and you can see the wicked bend that is on Belle Creek Drive. What you can’t see is the large change in elevation that precedes this bend. I made the mistake of looking behind me at my dad, who was riding his bike, and forgot about that turn. I hit the curb, did several flips through the air, and landed on my wrist.
In case your curious, my house is at the North end of Beechwood Ct (I’d link it, but Google misplaces the flag for my address). You can just barely make out my roof on the sattelite image. Doesn’t Oak Ridge look absoluetly lovely? It’s a shame you can’t see the beautiful hills from the sattelite images, but you can see our wonderful forests.
By Adam on May 1, 2005 at 5:43 pm
I have been meaning to jump into that pool myself, for quite some time now. Just waiting for a moment of temporary insanity.
By Kristján on May 3, 2005 at 8:52 pm