Another “Oddly Big Thumb” in a Most Surreal Moment, by Mark Erickson

While in college on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, I rode in a car, a behemoth Buick Wildcat, with four other people en route from Chicago to Minneapolis. A winter storm pummeled Wisconsin as we drove, and we saw dozens of cars and semi-trucks* in the ditch. Tow trucks kept busy that night…ca-ching! We were at Black River Falls when we slid into the ditch. Once towed out, we decided the conditions were too severe to continue. We exited the highway to get to the motel. If you are familiar with this stretch along 94, the motel has a 10′ orange moose statue in front, which is clearly visible from the highway.

Obviously, others had the same idea. Since we were poor college students, we stood in line to reserve one room. Then, three drunk, 20-something year Mark old men emerged from the motel’s bar and for some reason (probably due to our age) stopped to chat with us. One of the three used a wheelchair as his legs ended at knee level. This guy told us that he lost portions of both legs when he had been run over by a train! He was thankful, though, that someone found one of his legs. He showed us his left hand as it too had been severed. That is, he was left with just a pinky finger. However, doctors had managed to re-attach this poor guy’s big toe to his left hand!!! I stood there in shock and awe as the man showed me how he could grab items with his hand…errr…big toe and pinky finger. I cannot believe this surreal moment. This guy had a thumb on his hand!! I will never, ever forget his oddly big thumb.

*I cannot imagine how driverless trucks will travel safely in winter storms.

– Mark Erickson