I'm writing a short story that involves a character whose hands were mangled in an accident at work. It happened to him nearly thirty years ago. It needs to be an accident that doesn't involve him losing many of his fingers, one of two at the most, and he can still use his fingers but his former dexterity is gone. He used to play the guitar. I can't think of anything but vague ideas. I'd love to get some suggestions. Thank you.
What about at an assembly line in auto industry or a meat worker at an abbatoir (slaughterhouse)? Those guys work with machines regularly. Just a thought.
My uncle is a fisherman. He lost two fingers and the tip of a third in an accident on the boat. I think he had his fingers crushed in the winch.
I know a man who is a trim carpenter and he lost the tips of 3 fingers in an accident with a table saw. Also, I know press workers, like printing presses, get their hands caught in the rollers pretty frequently and can lose fingers or at least have them crushed.
I'd vote for butcher, given the likelihood of injuring oneself, as well as the imagery of a butcher shop. Could be great scenery to contrast a young musician to be stuck in.
My ex's granddad had just such an accident, he stuck his hand (accidentally) into a cement mixing machine and 2 fingers were cut off, the rest of the hand badly chewed up but it was usable after it healed up.
factories of any kind farming butcher deli worker [slicing machine!] mechanic construction worker for starters...
And, if it doesn't have to be a work-related accident, I knew someone who had lost the index and middle finger on one hand when he was changing a tire one night and the jack collapsed.
Wow! Thank you all for the suggestions! I really apprieciate them and they gave me some ideas to look into. I was kind of leaning toward something to do with the auto industry or possibly a mechanic, I do like the idea of farm machinery too. Thanks again, all great suggestions!
