i had two today.
the first was at the shop. there’s a blowtorch that we use from time to time in order to fuck with the metal so we can loosen parts on bikes that are rusted together. it’s an extreme measure, and used only after having emplyed both teamwork and the four foot cheater bar for added leverage. well, some broad has had her bike in the shop forever and we decided to use it today (after the teamwork and the four foot cheater bar). problem was, the nozzle was loose. so it was leaking gas from places it shouldn’t be leaking gas. so when alex tried to light it, it wouldn’t light, it wouldn’t light, it wouldn’t light, BOOM! and the whole unit was on fire. the fear, of course, was that the fire would crawl down the tube and into the tank and goodbye, world, it’s been wild; but he dropped it and turned off the gas. whether this fear is rooted in any mechanical reality is also of course up for professional consideration, but it was pretty freaky. he singed his hair and burned his hand a little. the door got blackened, too. after that we all took a moment, and democratically and unanimously elected never to use the torch again.
then on the way home from work my chain came off my gear at what i guess was a really inopportune moment, and i flew over the handlebars and rolled on the pavement, hitting my helmet with a fair degree of force. given that i built that bike, and am professiuonally a bike mechanic, and that i gave it a tune up just today, there was certainly nobody at fault but me. i hate to thin kof what awful emergency room i would be in if i weren’t such a disicplined safety nazi who wears his helmet every damn time he gets on the bike. i swear to jesus i’m just about the only one in a helmet in the whole freakin town most days. so i knocked the helmet and shook myself pretty bad. after that i democratically and unanimously elected both to keep wearing my helmet no matter how dumb i look and to drink several if not many beers.
but anyway i’m fine, and lots of what if questions rolling around. some scrapes, my shoulder will be awfuly sore for capoera class tomorrow, but otherwise i’m fine. just… those beers are vitally important, as muscle relaxants in anticipation of my neck’s rebellion against the sudden impact to my (well-pretected) head, and as a means of stabilising the psyche.
god, it’s good to be alive.
