I know: not the three most-seen-together of words, huh? I mean, I know that the words “freak” and “accident” often hang out together. In fact, I believe they have become fast friends through their numerous, classic pairings together, but they’re not usually caught hanging around with a benign activity noun/gerund like gardening. Generally they’re observed carousing with Mountain Dew-type “extreme” activity descriptions, like water skiing on a skateboard behind a car, or surfing on top of a moving pickup truck. Or are those too obvious of accidents waiting to happen to be considered “freak accidents”? I must have gotten confused because the people doing those things are generally total freaks, hence a “freak accident”; but that’s not what the term “freak accident” is usually understood to mean, is it? Maybe freak accidents have to be by definition occurring during activities generally considered safe. But even so, gardening doesn’t seem to fit the “freak accident” mold. But still, it happened. Maybe it was a “hippie freak” tending his “herb” garden. Could that be it?
Don’t believe me? Here’s the freakily accidental story:
And just so you know, I really hope the guy turns out okay. I’m not trying to make fun of him or his injury. Really! It’s just that the expression “freak gardening accident” really sent me for a loop when I saw it written down.
