The impossible lane, being impossible,
stretches farther than I imagined
My steps are tentative, the bike light guiding my way
I get a few strange looks, which beg
why is he pushing it
what’s wrong
We had laid the bike down that Saturday, Rhino and me. Our near-collision came around the blind corner at full speed, eyes ahead, not expecting our jump across her path. Brakes slammed, sliding to a stop just short of her.
We were both okay, road rash but nothing more
She paused, but only briefly, to ensure we were not injured
okay?
I paused for a minute, trying to decide if there was time and capacity to translate and explain what was really going on: I’m shook; scared for what might have been; surprised; uneasy.
yeah, okay!
And she was off.
You okay bud?
Yeah papa, I’m fine.
But the bike, only barely functional,
Was not.
So I walk, and push, and feel self-conscious.
And wonder what lies around the next impossible bend.
Get Up Eight 
Don’t scare me with these posts! Love seeing you at it again for March!
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Thank God you both are fine. Life gives us unexpected surprises. Take care. What will you do with the bike?
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Heh, well, in Vietnam there is a dedication to reuse and repair. It’s all fixed now! 🙂
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We do that in India too 😊
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So much said and so much unsaid. I like the way the snippets of dialogue communicate both the fear and the care that was happening in this scene.
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My favorite line – “So I walk, and push, and feel self-conscious.” You capture the worry of judgment in the wake of an accident. I’m glad the speaker in the poem made it out with only a broken bike and hurt pride.
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The wondering what others think sets things up so well! The whole piece had me thinking things like
where are they?
How old are they ?
And these questions pull me forward As a reader. Leaving them unanswered did not leave me unsatisfied.
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