Thursday, July 12, 2007

Sleepwalkers Driving


Some people sleepwalk while they drive. They are cocooned in their temperature controlled and noise insulated world of steel. They fidget with the radio, yammer endlessly on cel phones, eat cheeseburgers, and watch movies on their console mounted DVD players. Driving alone. Vaguely aware of their own existence.

I'm not sure what Ms. GMC Yukon Denali (Denial as Ari says) was doing when she slowly made her left turn in front of me. I experienced that sinister slow motion feeling of impending doom when I was sliding in front of her chrome grilled, cyclist eating, beast on my front wheel. I dodged, pulled, contorted, and braced to make sure that the damage from impact would be lessened. I was a lucky motherfucker.

I escaped the encounter unscathed as a wide eyed and obviously startled Ms. GMC apologized through her closed window. Her mouth was saying "Oh my God, I'm so sorry" but her eyes were bleary and said that the little cyclist in red had just yanked her from her comfortable dream world back into reality.

I nodded to her, tapped my heart, and rolled on. No words to shout, nor anger to unleash. I looked back in disbelief as she pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home.

"I am one lucky motherfucker" I thought. And so is she.

3 comments:

Ari said...

That is a nice Denial and I am really glad that you did not scratch it with your stupid little bike. You probably could not have paid for the damage since you are poor and most likely don't have insurance. Maybe you should consider riding on the sidewalk, which is where you should have been in the first place!
a.
www.carsrcoffins.com

The King said...

I second that, Stay off the road and stick to the prarie path.

Ari said...

Better yet, quit riding and take up skiing!
Worst case scenario you'll get killed by a souped up Polaris.
a.