Today was a pretty good day. Except for on the trip home. I had one half hour left to work on my digital homework. I had worked on it earlier in the day, but then I had to go to a faculty meeting. Anyway, I usually pedal at a pretty conservative rate (it's hard to pedal with your left wing), but tonight I was booking it. So I crossed Lincoln, and did my nice little hand signal so I could turn right. I was watching traffic on the road I was turning OFF of, and not the traffic on the road I was turning ON to. WHAMMMOO! I slam into another bike! She was crossing the road and going from sidewalk to sidewalk while I was watching the people on the road. Because I was going so fast, I couldn't stop. The woman was incensed -- which is totally understandable because some airhead just collided with her! I felt horrible, and I started apologizing -- though how much is that worth? When I asked her if she was OK, she was like, "NO, I'M NOT. Do you drive a car like that? I'm so glad you weren't driving a car. I live on the street that Alicia Bandersnipe lives on." (I'm actually not sure which name she said, but I'd never heard of her). I probably looked like a carp with my mouth open, but I asked her, "Who's Alicia Bandersnipe?" Over her shoulder, she said, "The girl who was killed!" I knew she was still very angry with me, but as she biked down the sidewalk, I was at least glad that I hadn't knocked her off of her bike.
I started crying on the way home, and another biker who had been behind me stopped me and asked me if I was okay. Sure I was. I wasn't the one who'd been rammed! I felt so stupid. The rest of the way home I stopped a long time at each stop sign just to make sure no one was coming in either direction. My thought was, I can't even ride a bike right!
Given the fact that �accidents� such as that one can happen so quickly when both parties are sober, it�s no wonder that drunk driving is such a risk. I mean, as the above story goes to prove, I need all the brain function I can get! Besides affecting a person�s reaction time, alcohol can also lower a person�s inhibitions. As a believer, that�s going in the exact opposite direction.
There is going to be a "wine and cheese" party this weekend. I guess it's the IWUness in me, but I just can't get past the word "wine."
Why spend good money on decaying raisin juice?
Oh well. I guess you could describe cheese as "bacteria-ridden aged milk," and that doesn't sound very appetizing, either.
Anyhow, I have been kind of surprised at how much of a role drinking plays here. Even the College Republicans sponsor a "barcrawl," I think every week. Now doesn't THAT sound like fun!
I think I'm happy in my teetotaling ways. But there's plenty of other things to tempt me -- like chocolate-chip cookies ;-)
(Image source: http://web.syr.edu/~lefaria/bike%20wheel.jpg)
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