While listening to my favorite Radio/Podcast show of all time, I heard them discussing static electricity and how not everyone knows or understands the “joys” of it. As a kid, I remember walking across a room, dragging my feet on carpet without lifting them and then touching a classmate, shocking them --In more way than one. However, these days I cannot escape the sharp pain of being shocked. It’s nothing like the feet on the carpet kind of shock, it’s the kind that numbs your fingertips or makes your eyes water and forces you to wince in pain and scream in agony.
The radio hosts discussed the strange phenomenon that happens when you make your bed or slide in between the covers in the dark, “It’s like fireworks!” It really is! The worst pain that I’ve ever experienced was in a Target store as I reached to open the freezer and select some frozen veggies or something. A load pop came from my finger as my hand met the metal handle. I yelped and grabbed my grocery cart and a smaller pop ensued from that action!
While working at the Dot Com, I’d go each morning to wash my hands (after putting on makeup in the car) and a jolt of electricity would zap me from the water stream! That cannot be safe. Before today I hadn’t really heard anyone else complain about this phenomenon but I’m so glad to know there are others out there. Yes, we had little electrical shocks and the occasional zap in California but it is MUCH worse here in the Midwest. Theory has it that people get used to it and it doesn’t bother them. I’ve been shocked for 7 years and I cannot imagine ever being “used to it”.
In Southern California, I really do feel like we had to seek out this electrical shock. Besides scraping my feet along the carpet at school, I remember my parents put up a low voltage wire that ran along the top of the fence to keep the dogs from climbing or jumping over. My siblings and I would occasionally dare one another to touch it! Ha ha! Fun times! The worst was when I would be raking the yard and back my elbow into the fence. Ouch! I think the surprise made it hurt more.
Out of control electricity, just another reason I want to move home again…..