A High Dive (Cont.)
Screen 4 of 4Unsolicited and of course unknown to me, one of the boys on the bank--I believe it was Thurman's brother, Charles--jumped into the water and pulled me to shore.
After I was revived there on the river bank, the first thing I remember hearing was Thurman asking, "How high did you say that tree was, Check?" Of course I didn't answer; I just ignored the question and lay there hurting from head to foot, but at the same time thankful I was still alive. I was told later by a doctor that miraculously I had not even broken a bone.
A week or so after this happening, a student at the college who had studied trigonometry figured out by angles that the place I had jumped from was about forty-two feet from the water. No wonder I hit so flat!
Upon receiving this piece of information, I promised myself that I would take a course in trigonometry before doing a back flip out of a tree again.
I kept a part of that promise, but not all of it. I did take the trigonometry course the following year, but I never again did a back flip from such a high place.
Chester C. Travelstead
February 10, 1979
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