Must Have Liked My Yellow Jersey
It’s almost claustrophobic. Not suffocating, not crushing, but in a way, its freeing. Its the feeling I had on a sunny morning last week, while riding my bike, 35 mph down the back side of Bear Creek Road, when a bee struck me in the chest. At that speed injuries come quickly and easily, so I had to make a choice: would I look down, examine my chest, and claw at the offending insect? I might look too long, veering into the oncoming lane. I might lose control of the bike, striking some pothole while only holding on with one hand. The bee might sting me anyway, perhaps had already done so.
So I didn’t look. I rode on, reaching 49 mph, the fastest I have ever gone on that road. When I slowed, the bee was nowhere to be found. That feeling is fate, or maybe its fatalism. It is the acceptance of what is, and what will be. It is absurd to descend into such a state when the flick of a wrist could end your life, but perhaps that’s the whole point.
Some Wintermint Tic Tacs on a Red Carpet... in my GUTS.
Today’s mild epiphany follows the same logic as the bee-bike choice. On Sunday I realized I might be coming down with Salmonella, and chose to do nothing. I’ve had it before in El Salvador, so I know I can probably beat it. Plus there’s Cipro in my medicine cabinet. On Monday, I spent the day at home, in the throws of the full array of symptoms, and debating a trip to the student health center. On Tuesday, I woke up for work, took the BART to Oakland, and helped people solve their housing crises. It totally worked. Except that today, the howling in my bowels returned mid-class, as if to remind me “you’re hella sick, Skeeter.“ I should probably lie around in bed watching hulu and eating some vegetarian equivalent of chicken noodle soup.
But as it turns out, I’m on a bike going 35 mph, and there’s no time to check my shirt for bees. My work is too exhilarating and my classes too demanding for me to get better in the fun way. Thankfully, there’s always time to take some Cipro…
La Pastilla Mexicana Casi Funciona Igual
i’m feeling much better today, but thanks for all the concern!