By Joclyn Glaser
Christian Caldwell has had several narrow saves regarding the many times he's encountered electricity. "I mean, it's a miracle I didn't die." What a scary thought!
Around second or third grade, Caldwell's family lived in an old farmhouse near Chicago, Illinois. Powerlines lined the long driveways and streets, running parallel, and sometimes through, the numerous oak trees. The huge trees that a young Caldwell loved to climb…
He depicts how, during this time on the 100-acre property, he had climbed a tree, reached out, and woke up on the ground. "I was doing it in the early morning, and when I woke up, it was late evening. Obviously, what had happened was I was thrown out of the tree…waking to my mother calling me into the house."
Caldwell goes on and wonders if there was a possibility that he died or if he simply just got knocked out. He reflects on these experiences and states, "I was a stupid kid…I mean, this was when we were allowed to run around feral. Our parents didn't really keep close track of us."
Either way, falling from the height of a telephone pole line, which is around 30 to 60 feet, is no comfortable feat. Especially when shocks from these lines can range from 7,200 to 12,500 volts; he certainly had a near slide, as fatal shocks can range from 2,700 to 11,000 volts! And this was just the first of many interactions.
Caldwell then goes on to explain how around the same time of his childhood, he would stick tweezers in the outlets of the bathroom in the old farmhouse. He says his mom would get so angry at him because not only would he be putting his life and well-being at risk, but he would also be ruining her tweezers! His dad, however, would be the one left to fix the outlets—and often.
"My dad would get so mad at me because to fix it, he would have to go down to the basement where there were rats and nests to replace the fuse…I was pretty stupid…and I did it on multiple occasions."
This all happened during the time when glass fuses were in outlets to protect the rest of the house, so keeping up with replacing them was no fun task. But nothing can stand in the way of one's curiosity.
These were just two of the several times he's had quite a shock! Caldwell illustrates how, although these experiences were anything but out of the ordinary, he just went on with his day like nothing happened. He must have known what escapades would await him in his future to not get worked up about these measly events.
Obviously, these experiences shaped Caldwell, as he still loves to climb often in national parks, and he teaches physics, which includes an entire unit dedicated to electrical current—what one might say he has a voltaic connection to. Although these were close calls, they ultimately sparked his curiosity and career in the scientific field. Besides, what's life without a little adventure?
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