Slip sliding away

I sometimes laugh at other peoples' misfortunes

     I know it is not funny.  I know it is not nice.  I know I should be more caring.  But sometimes I can't help it.
     In another dimension, I worked for the Rochelle News Leader.  Their offices used to be at Main and Fourth Street, right across from the city parking lot.
     On the west side of the parking lot there used to be a department store named Carp's.  This was in the pre Walmart days...when you could go to downtown Rochelle and find two drugstores, (one with a kick ass soda fountain) two hardware stores, three shoe stores, two men's clothing shops, a bakery, two department stores, at least three women's clothing stores......but the times changed.
     It was winter and a slow day in the news room.....probably a Friday afternoon.  Jean and I were watching the parking lot across the street.  A huge sheet of ice had formed on the west end, just outside of Carp's.  Several people had fallen and we started to make bets with each other...fall or no fall.
    Down the sidewalk came Jackie, towing three year old Julia behind.
    Jean and I looked at each other and thought the same thing...should we warn them.  (Notice...not we should, but should we?  She will surely see the ice, right?)
    But it was too late.  Jackie took two steps on the ice and went flying, pulling Julia behind.  Jackie went down, pulling Julia with.
    They got up quickly and headed right for the newspaper office.
     I admit I was laughing.  If I had a hidden camera, it would have been priceless.
     But Jackie was not....repeat, not.....seeing any humor in the situation.
     She tramped through the mush and slush and reached the newspaper door.
     "I fell," she stammered.
     "I know, we watched."  I replied, with a little giggle that soon became a full throat laugh.
     "I don't think it was funny," she glared.  "And I don't know why this kid keeps crying.  I'm the one who fell."
      We looked at her again and burst out laughing.
      "Maybe it's because you made her walk across the lot without a shoe?" I gasped.
      Sure enough, little Julia's foot was covered in slush and snow.  When Jackie fell, she yanked on Julia so hard, the kid lost a shoe.
     I went and got the shoe while she toweled off, and warmed up, Julia's foot.
     And no, in hindsight it was not funny.
     But to be honest, I probably would laugh if it happened again.