Close-Call Calamity

Earl went outside to pull the ribs off the grill and I took a taste of the potatoes I'd just finished mashing. Salty and buttery. Just right.
The only bite of potatoes anyone got today.
I turned to the cabinet and stretched barefoot on my tiptoes to reach a serving bowl from the top shelf. I started to lift it when things shifted and a shower of glass rained over me.
The supports under the shelf had broken and the whole shelf tipped forward to send its contents downward.
Twelve places settings of glass plates and punch cups slid off the shelf and crashed into pieces on the granite counter top.

Three plates and one cup survived in tact.

For some reason, I froze. I stood still on my tiptoes as pieces of glass hit my foot, my hand. I held onto the serving bowls above my head.
The shattering and splintering glass sounded like the sudden rush of a waterfall. Grace and Spencer ran for the kitchen. From outside, Earl heard the commotion. I remained standing still on my tiptoes until the dishes stopped falling.
"Mom, you okay?" Spence asked.
"Don't come in here if you don't have shoes on," I called to the kids.
"Step over to the right," Spencer advised, but I saw shards of glass there on the floor so I stayed still on my tiptoes.
"Grace, will you get my shoes?"
She returned and held each shoe under my feet as I put on my Mary Jane crocs.
In spite of the carnage of the glass plates and cups, surprisingly, the only thing on the counter that broke was the blue bowl that held the pears and bananas. Wine bottles lay on their sides and a wine glass was overturned too, but not broken.
As for me, I have a couple of bruised spots and a little sliver of glass in my finger. But no blood. Definitely a lucky break. (Pun intended.)
Next we needed to clean up the mess.
I picked up glass pieces, big and small sweeping them into a brown paper bag. Earl grabbed a broom and Grace vacuumed behind him.
The problem with having shiny granite counter tops is that the glittery spots on the counter look just like little bits of glass.

Every time I thought the counter was free of glass, I'd swipe a cloth across the counter and find a few more tiny pieces of glass. 

I threw away the blue bowl that was broken.

And the mashed potatoes, they were in the path of destruction. So I threw the beautiful, creamy potatoes away.