No, I don’t think a tourniquet is necessary. It’s just a little boo-boo, so calm down.

Michelle and Amanda were chatting on the porch swing and watching the kids play out in the yard. Mackenzie and Ella were picking flowers, and Jake was hanging upside down from the branch of the big oak tree and pelting the girls with acorns.

“Jake, stop binging acorns off the girls’ heads. And honey, please be careful up there.” Just as Michelle had finished the sentence, Jake flailed awkwardly and hit the ground with a thump. When he stood up, he was smiling, he had a cut on his knee and a trickle of blood running down his leg.

Amanda jumped up instinctively, ran to his side and scooped him up. She carried him to the porch and began gingerly inspecting every square inch of him.

“Tell me what hurts. Is it your arm? Can you bend it? What about your head? Do you have any bumps? Why aren’t you crying? You could have a concussion. What day is it? Who is president? Maybe we should take you to the hospital. Should we just drive him there or should we call 911? Which do you think would be faster?”

Jake looked up at his mom helplessly.

“Amanda, he’s fine. He just has a little cut on his knee. I’ll go grab the Band-Aids.”

When Michelle returned with the 20-count box of the Johnson & Johnson Winnie the Pooh Band-Aids, Amanda yelled “NO!” and swatted it out of her hands.

“What is your problem?!” Michelle yelled as she bent over to retrieve the box.

“Don’t you know? The packaging on those contains natural rubber latex!”

“It’s fine, Amanda. Jake isn’t allergic to latex. Is Mackenzie?”

“Well, no.”

“Gavin?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then WHY are you freaking out?”

Amanda paused for a moment to think.

“I don’t really know. Instinct, I guess.”

Michelle just laughed and shook her head as she stuck the Band-Aid on Jake’s knee and patted him on the back. “Sure, instinct. Or severe OCD. Minor distinction.” 

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