No leg to stand on

We have all heard the expression, "he hasn't got a leg to stand on". Simply put, it means there is no argument and the chance to change the outlook on things is unlikely. However, if you don't use it as a metaphor, you may just mean it quite literally, and for one of my dear brothers, it appears the die is now "casted" for his summer plans or at least his leg is.

During a recent visit to my folks, my brother dutifully exited the afternoon group "debriefing" out on the front lawn to take his is son, Chachi, to baseball practice. It was his dad's turn to get him to the park on time. Upon arrival, it was evident that most of the parents had dropped their kids off with the coaches and had gone about their business for the next few hours. After some negotiating, little Chachi was able to convince his dad to stick around and help out. That decision sealed his fate the summer. After avoiding a foul tipped ball, my brother fell to the ground, no pain, no noise, just like a "brother" load. Unable to get up, he was assisted to the bench by the coaches and managed to make "the call" home for some advice. The report of his patella being felt in his thigh was a subtle clue to me that he "had a problem". Upon arrival, I found him sitting on the bench, an unfamiliar place for him; however, these were markedly different circumstances than during his playing days. After the exam, it was determined that he had indeed ruptured his patella tendon, not good for anyone who wants to stand on his own 2 feet.

Now that he has had the requisite surgical repair, the summer plans for hiking and whatever else requiring 2 good legs, will have to be put on hold. As for my brother, he has been a trooper through his misfortune, and has barely whimpered an utterance of disdain or mentioned the certain discomfort of it all. Thankfully, he is on the road to recovery, and as for being in a hurry, forget about it because you can't "shake a leg". Just remember what we Red Sox fans say, there is always next year, so keep the faith!