I used to work at a military base. We had periodic "safety inspections", in which an inspector would tour the building checking for safety hazards.
On one such occasion, I was written up for a safety violation. The inspector said that I had broken the rule against placing an object on top of a bookcase. "What's the problem with that?" I asked. "It might fall off and land on someone's head," she explained.
Except ... the object in question was my hat. A felt hat. "So," I said, "If my hat fell on my head, I could just leave it there and go home." The inspector was not amused.
I can't help but wonder how many people are injured or killed by felt hats plummeting six inches or more and landing on their heads.
© 2008 by Jay Johansen