Flying and falling

August 24, 2010 at 5:15 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

I guess you could say I fell off my bike, but more accurately: I flew off my bike. And I remember the pavement closing in, my Superman arms, the way I fell in that softball game in ninth grade when I tripped going from third to home because HOME was so impossible, so deliciously deleriously un-me, and I’d been riding my bike the same way — with delicious delerium, thinking how fast I was going, how I was dodging these potholes in this construction zone, and I was a machine just as sure as my bike, just as sure as sunrise over a new lake on a new day with a new love with a birthday cake and then — FLLRLLOOM! — I am on the pavement. My bike is on me. We are spooning. Bike, why you gotta consumate our love right now? I was GOING PLACES. No one is stopping. A car-window yeller yells, “Are you ok?” I do not answer, and he takes my silence for okay-ness. A passerby walks over and lifts the bike off of me. “There, I did my good deed for the day,” he says and walks off. I am left to be bloody, and mad, and dizzy. But okay. Okay okay. Bloody on one arm and on my knees and hands, but sound of mind and sound of bone, and when I get into the cab to the E.R. (tetanus, sprains, who knows…) I am so grateful for the ability to move myself from point A to point B, still, somehow.

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Yikes, this is Bad Bike Week for everyone I know: I ate it hard on Sunday when dipshit tourists made me swerve onto sand to avoid them and I lost traction, two friends had their bikes stolen Friday and Monday (one off a second floor balcony!), and now your unintentional flight over the handlebars. Glad to hear you’re okay! We should comiserate on the suckitude of road rash.

Comment by Ellen— August 25, 2010 #

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- ellen! OH NO! road rash is indeed the worst. i am handling it via this method: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/roadrash.shtml
  
  2nd Skin bandages and a mesh thingamajigger. Kinda looks punk. FEEL BETTER!!
  
  Comment by lindsay— August 25, 2010 #
  
  Reply
  - Oh, I should look into one of those Second Skin things. I’ve just been constantly slathering it with antibiotic ointment.
    
    And I forgot to add: Fuck the “that was my good deed for the day” guy. It’s one thing to think that in your head, but to say it out loud TO the person lying injured on the ground? Jackass.
    
    Comment by Ellen— August 25, 2010 #
You two have me really nervous to ride my bike home now after biking to work for the first time in 2 weeks. I’m glad you’re both okay, if sore! Too bad you didn’t have the soundness of mind to tell the bike-lifter to eff off if that was all he planned to contribute to humanity today.

Comment by Tara— August 25, 2010 #

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- Tara, that would’ve been such a brilliant response. I think I just scowled and looked around confused-ly at why anyone would say that.
  
  Comment by lindsay— August 25, 2010 #
  
  Reply
you know, its because you’ve got good ukemi.

Comment by jerry the filipino— August 25, 2010 #

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- I read this right before I left this house this morning and smiled, and then thought of it again while walking down the sidewalk and busted out laughing. It’s true. I am so grateful for that ukemi
  
  Comment by lindsay— August 26, 2010 #
  
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So glad to hear you’re okay.

Comment by Paul— September 1, 2010 #

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lindsayliveshere.org