Healing Wounds

Alright, guys, here's my pathetic story: I biked out to get corn dogs for dinner after making 3 different kinds of homemade mashed potatoes...

After the realization that Beaver's Market was closed, proceeded to bike to the Safeway. Got the corn dogs, left on my bike with lights flashing and turned onto LaPorte. My front light had been flickering for the past few days and was getting rather annoying, but was in no comparison to when the light flickered completely /off/ while I was biking. I look down because I'm a little ticked because it's a new light, look up and there's a car.

After ramming head first into the 2,000 pound vehicle, I get off my bike, take off my gloves and throw them on the ground because I'm so tremendously furious. The taste of pennies in my mouth and my arm starts to swell, I put the chain back on the sprokets and then try to take off, only to encounter the fact that my front wheel will not turn past my bike frame....

I bent my bike frame to the extent that it cracked and is now a pile of useless steel. It wasn't just a way to get around, it was something that defined who I was and a way of life, told people about my family, about values, about passion and tenacity.

I could get anywhere in town, faster than a car, park right next to my destination, get loads of exercise, without any CO2 emissions. Biking was my statement to the community and promotion of sustainable living. I now walk everywhere and the speed and flame of vivaciousness has been smothered out.

All in all, it could have been a lot worse. My boss's boyfriend once hit a car and broke his collar bone... my friend from high school was going down hill when he hit his and would have died if he hadn't been wearing a helmet. It could have been worse, I should consider myself lucky to come out with just a fat lip and bruised arm.