SCOFFLAW

let me run it down kind of step by step as I remember it.

I'm riding my bike down 14th, on the way to the bank. I'm wearing ankle-socks and running shoes. I'm wearing cutoff jeans and a tank top. I'm wearing headphones and sunglasses.

two kids pull up next to me at the corner in a busted old corolla. black kids. the driver says something to me, smiling.

say what?

he says it again but I'm still wearing the headphones. I pull the right one out.

"you race, man?" he is laughing.

i didn't really get what he was saying until he revved the engine. i stuck my headphone back in my ear and took off turning right on Market, blasting into my pedals. I race cars all the time and, in traffic, usually win. the kids gun past me but there's a red light up ahead and I know I will pass them when they stop, they know this too. they take a right turn quickly onto 13th and laughing, I go to pull a slow u-turn back to the other side of the street.

System of a Down is blaring into my eardrums at this point. I see a very short flash of blue in my periphery but already I know what is happening. I might have heard tires screech or a horn honk or something but all of my animal instincts have flashed already and I'm braced for impact, my leg is smashed sideways but my handlebars turned to deal with it, I'm catching myself on the concrete and letting out a loud whoop of excitement despite myself.

I've had alot of falls like this, almost every time actually. You can credit my skateboarding background maybe. On the 4th of July, I watched a girl fall on her bike in slow-motion completely unable to deal with the confusion of momentum. This is not me. I was an electric blast of reaction without thought. I was already back on my feet and picking up my bike before the woman even got out of her car. "holy shit, that was 100% my fault, I'm really sorry" I'm telling her before she has the chance to ask me if I'm okay. "Yeah, give me a second I'm pretty sure I'm alright. Give me a second." but instead I'm picking up my bike and testing it out. 4 of my five chainring bolts are missing but this cannot possibly have happened just now.

this is my second time getting hit by a car this month. the invincibility is wearing off I suppose. I wasn't wearing a helmet either time. this realization didn't chill me until 30 minutes later.

anyways, I brushed myself off, made sure the lady's car was alright, and then rode away. My elbow is starting to hurt now and maybe my knee a little bit, but nothing you wouldn't get from a bad layout in Ultimate. It's hard to tell what soreness is from the 20miles I did yesterday and from getting hit today.

I really press my luck I guess. You can't be special if you're smashed to death on Market Street. but instead, barely a scratch on my wrist.

atm1