Skip to main content

#2 Could Have Killed Me...Or At Least Made Me Rich

When I was about 17, I was on a bike-a-thon with my high school class (probably raising money for our infamous European Senior class trip, or something). But anyway. We rode the length of Jupiter Island and were on our way back -- and as we were crossing a highway, we had to stop in the median to wait for traffic. But traffic did not wait for us. Great-Grandma Moses an her equally ancient companion careened into the median and the car bumper hit me squarely behind the knees and in the lower back, hurling me across not only my bike, but the bikes of several of my riding companions.

The look of horror on GGM's face revealed that her family had probably been threatening to revoke her driving privileges at any moment. She wasn't taking any chances and after a slight pause of conscience, she decided to stay in the dark as to whether she was a murderer or simply the cause of a few scrapes and bruises.

Fortunately for us all, I suffered no more than some sore muscles and a scrape or two. And a generous amount of caution whenever I see kids anywhere near a street or parking lot. Or when I'm driving within view of any Grandma Moses'.

Comments

Stephen Ley said…
I hadn't thought about that bike-a-thon in like 20 years. Thanks, I think.
Unknown said…
Oh my goodness GGM! You have sure had some serious things happen to you!
Mary Ellen said…
What is a "GGM"!?!?!

A lady from that same island got in BIG trouble about a year ago for hitting someone, it was in the news more than once. She hit a lawn guy who asked her to stop while a truck was backing up or something, details are foggy in my brain - but she decided she couldn't be late for her Bridge game and hit him with her car. He hit back...with the law, a lawsuit, etc.

Maybe it was your "friend" getting what was coming to her all these years later! Either way, I'm glad you survived to tell us your story...looking forward to finding out the truth or false to the rest.
Anonymous said…
WOW!!! Glad you only a a few bumps and brusies....
Anonymous said…
Funny........I dug out some old albums when I was cleaning the other day and found a lot of pictures of that infamous trip. Boy, they were funny! Time sure flies.....

Popular posts from this blog

Little Chic's New Do

I have been bugging Little Chic to cut her waist-length hair for a long time. She did take about 4 inches off it about two months ago, and ever since, has been toying with the idea of something drastic and cool. Today was the day! I love it, but it's a little sad too--seeing how it makes her look all mature and teenager-ish.

"Huncle" Dave

This guy's my uncle. He's 8 years older than me. With my dad being the oldest of 10 kids, my grandma still had kids at home by the time my dad was getting started with life. This guy was my hero when I was growing up--sort of the big brother role, but with a little more novelty than a constant bully and boss hanging around. He certainly did his share of bossing and bullying, but I took it all in stride since I thought he was an incredibly big deal. Since he was the youngest of 10 kids, but older than all the grandkids, he took full advantage and made the best of his position in life. One aspect of him being more 'mature and world-wise' was that he required treatment of proper respect and authority. Thus, I, and my cousins, were expected to boost his ego by calling him by his rightful name "Huncle". This classy moniker had the unique combination of the relationship (uncle) and his self-proclamation of him being a teenage 'hunk'. Since growing up,

Stickin' It Out

I got married today. Well, not exactly today. It was Friday, June 2. But the year was 1989 - 17 years ago. "Amazing", people say. "Good for you", they comment. "You must have picked the right one", the add. Amazing? Yes. Good for me? I'll admit it. But it has nothing to do with picking the right one, really. It's not because I found the perfect boy, and it's certainly not because he found the perfect girl. It might sound a little unromantic, but there never really is a 'right one' floating around out there waiting in the cosmos for the other 'right one' to crash and connect. There may be 'better ones'; there may be 'more easily compatible' or something or other. But the real story is you start becoming the right one the moment you vow that "you do". When I married, I had been 20 for a whole 33 days, we had just completed a 2-year long-distance realtionship and HE was five years older tha