Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 23:01:24 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: [NVC] The Electric Potter
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Monday, June 12, 2006; 2:30 pm, Chelsea, AL
*The Main Event:*
I worked in my pottery studio today, fulfilling an order of communion
ware for the national Presbytery Conference happening here. Usual story,
seated on my throwing stool, potters wheel was wet, hands were wet and
on the wheel, some water on the floor, left foot on the wet spot. Being
engrossed in my work, I did not really notice nor pay attention to the
thunderstorm that had brewed up. Seated well back from the open barn
door – probably 15 feet or so - I just kept on working.
Suddenly there was a tremendous thunderclap, and a large blue streak of
electricity zig-zagged across the floor from the door to where my foot
was in the puddle. There was a burst of blinding blue-white light as the
electrical energy of the lightening entered my foot and traveled up my
body through my left leg and trunk, out my arms and to the wheel and to
a ground. In a split second I was slammed against the wall four feet
behind the potter’s wheel. I slid to the floor, stunned, unable to move,
talk, or open my eyes.
Others in the shop with me called 911 and the Chelsea Fire Department
Paramedics came to the rescue. They checked me out on the spot. I slowly
came around, but as a precaution an ambulance arrived which transported
me to the Birmingham VA Hospital Emergency Room for a more thorough
checkup. After several hours I was released and seem to have had no ill
effects but I go for a follow up checkup in a week.
*The rest of the story:*
When I returned home, I found in ruins beside my shop my favorite tree
in the yard……a big towering red oak tree that had stood for many years
and is a main food tree for the squirrels in the area. Lightening had
struck the tree and it had exploded ….. splitting major limbs, and
blasting chunks of bark, wood, leaves, and twigs out in a forty foot
radius from the tree. Long 4 inch wide strips of bark were peeled
vertically from the limbs and trunk as the electrical energy traveled
the tree trunk.
Unknown to me at the time, three others in my studio had also received a
jolt, but not nearly so bad, since they were standing on dry concrete
and had on rubber bottom tennis shoes. But it was enough of a jolt to
make them quite animated for a few moments.
We were all very lucky, especially me.
In the future, during a lightening storm, I will work on no machines and
have no damp feet. I am going to retire to a quiet place in the middle
of the house, sit on a wood chair on a wooden floor, wear my tennis
shoes and read a book!!!!
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
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