Yes a real person. We lived in Geneva Switzerland from when I was 9 to 15 years old. After American Cub Scouts at the American Church, we became Swiss Boy Scouts-Eclaireur Suisse. My brother joined two years before I was able to, due to age restrictions. Swiss Scouts was run more like a junior Swiss Army than like traditional American Boy Scouts. In fact our leader was a junior officer in the Swiss Army.
My brother and the rest of the troop were on a two week bicycle /camping trip in the south of France. He was required to send a postcard every few days so that my parents would know he was still living. There were no cell phones and little chance and less inclination for a teenager to call home.
The first postcard arrived a week into the trip.
“Snooky Stump fell down a chimney. We couldn’t find him for an hour. He is badly hurt. Broke his leg and knocked out his front teeth. Don’t tell his parents. Love Jeff”
While visiting an old castle, Snooky ran and tried to jump up on a large platform while up on the roof. Turns out the platform was in reality a chimney. He fell three stories, was knocked unconscious abd couldn’t be found for some time. There were several chimneys and even more fireplaces in the chateau. The fireplaces had doors to keep out the draft and the doors were locked. Snooky lay there until the keymaster found the right fireplace.
Snooky survived. I played on the same school soccer team with Snooky for the next three years. When we left Geneva to return to the US, his teeth were still broken. Not sure if my parents told his parents.
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