Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Sharon Bryant

August 6, 2006

NOT ME

 Sharon Bryant

I have gephyrophobia.  I'm not sure if I was born with this or if it came on later at a young age.  I only know it is a major problem in my life.  I cannot get across long bridges over water.

A friend of mine has gephyrophobia, but in a different way than I do.  He can ride in a vehicle across one, but he can't drive the vehicle himself across one.  I can't drive, ride, fly or look at a long bridge across a large body of water without my heart starting to race and a sickening feeling coming into my stomach.

I don't know if it's the fear of falling into the water, being grabbed by a shark or just plain, drowning.  I only know I will turn into a screaming maniac if someone tries to get me on a large bridge over water.

I can cross a small one over a little river or tiny lake.  That's it.  I don't think it's the height thing that is a problem because I've worked on buildings going up in a bucket to waterproof, five or six stories high. 

I even crossed the Mississippi River into Arkansas last year.......I didn't LIKE it, but it wasn't that wide where we had to cross over.

And the railing was high on the bridge.

I also grew up in summers as a kid on a lake.  I spent endless hours a day fishing with my grandparents and parents in a boat.

I didn't fear that.  But as I got older, bridges became a major problem in my life.

Just a little over a week ago, hubby and I went to Fairhope, Al on the coast.  It is on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.  Anyone who has ever been in that area knows that U.S. Highway 10 crosses Mobile Bay.  And anyone who knows where Birmingham, Al is at, knows there is a shortcut to get from the coast to this area, IF you use the bridge.

Not me.  I will drive any amount of miles to avoid crossing a large bridge.

Hubby was trying to convince me how safe bridges are when we were heading back home the other day.  He even explained how they put the "posts" in the water.  I told him I could care less HOW they build a bridge, I'm not crossing a big one. 

He thought he was funny the other day when this sign popped up, "Bridge and Tunnel Ahead."  I started yelling, "WHAT BRIDGE?  WHAT TUNNEL?"  He said, "I'm detouring so we don't have to cross it."  He knows I'll jump out of the vehicle if we get on the road that's going to take me onto the bridge.  That's how bad it is with me.

I remember in the 80's in Tampa, Florida when the bridge broke and I believe it was 31 or 32 cars fell into Tampa Bay.  Everyone drowned.  Not me.  I'm not going to drown from a bridge breaking and I'm not going to be eaten by a shark.

When I lived in Norfolk, Virginia, to get home to Michigan, the shortcut was to cross the Chesapeake Tunnel Bridge.  It was 17 miles long.  Not me.  I'd drive the over 100 miles to get around it to head north.  Every week that bridge was struck by some naval ship and I'd hear it on the news how the bridge and tunnel was out of commission until repairs were done.  Even a good friend who was a Navy Frogman tried to convince me the bridge was safe.  I told him, "Then YOU go over it, not me."

I wonder what causes phobias in people.  I've never fallen from a bridge.  I've come close to drowning once in a lake when I was a kid, but there was no bridge near the lake.  I also still went out in our boat and fished after that incident without a problem.

But, for some reason, I and big bridges just don't do well together.

My best friend lived in Key West for over 20 years and she was always asking me to come visit for a while.  She knew of my phobia and I would say, "How am I going to get there?"  "Fly," she'd say.  "No thank you," I'd tell her.  I won't fly over water either.

I know many people have gephyrophobia.  I know  there are many types of phobia.  I saw a woman on TV who had a fear of aluminum foil.  I thought to myself, "Man, my phobia is totally different than hers."  I can't imagine being afraid of aluminum foil.

I saw a woman scared to death of cats.  Another phobia I don't have. 

This causes problems when I plan a vacation.  I have to get a map and check out any waterways. 

I remember when I flew with my dad into New Orleans back in the 70's.  The plane looked like it was going down in the water, and I became hysterical in the plane. 

I took a cruise once to the Bahamas.  I did NOT have a good time.  Especially when people began talking about how close we were to the Bermuda Triangle.  I stayed up all night.  I kept my life preserver right next to me.  And I was one happy camper when that ship docked back in Miami.

Just today a friend was telling me about taking a trip and crossing Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans.  She said she gets so excited when going over a bridge.  I kept thinking, "Yeah right, not ME!"

Besides, there are so many places I can get to by vehicle. 

Do you have a phobia?

Sharon Bryant

1946@bellsouth.net

P.S.

Carol, don't you think a topic of writing about phobias would be interesting?  I bet there are some in Storytime that has the fear I do too.