More Words, Deeper Hole

One time I was on a sidewalk behind a Mom and her little boy. He was maybe 3 years old? We were at a crosswalk and for some reason (stepping up on the curb? I can't remember...) the little boy lost his balance and began to fall backwards like a plank. I reached out and caught his head in one hand an inch or two above the pavement, a Willie Mays catch right at the shoelaces. He landed on his back but that just knocked a little bit of wind out of him. His skull was nestled safely in the pillow-like palm of my hand.

It was the strangest feeling. Seriously. Swear to gawd my hand thought it had just snagged a softball hit to left field that would've otherwise been a three-bagger. His little head was just exactly the same size, shape and weight.