Tuesday, January 4, 2011

SEE, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA FLASH 'EM BACK

WELL, THIS ISN’T WHAT I HAD HOPED TO BE SHARING WITH YOU TODAY


My buddy Hutch has kept a running journal of what his days were like for most of his adult life. Not a ‘diary’ but a list of what he did on that particular day. I have decided to adopt that practice, making it serve not only as an activity log but a daily planner. This way I can bullet point the activities that really mean the most to me and keep me ‘on schedule in regard to down and distance’.

The first thing I did today was to get up and take a run outside. I have less than a handful of runs outdoors so I took myself out for a loop and it felt good. It was what I call ‘winter brisk’, temperature in the 40’s and the sun overhead in the sky. The snow removal hasn’t really been tested but the streets are mostly clear as we had some light rain over the weekend here and melted the accumulation that was on the ground.



PAID MY RENT


First stop, the bank. That means I had to stop at the ATM and withdraw money and did a few transactions. I got that done and then went over to the USPS store downtown. I use postal money orders and take an envelope addressed and stamp for the Housing Agency. No need to wonder if I mailed it or not because I had everything essentially within a one-stop radius.


SECOND…

Thought about the bus but I liked being out in the weather and thought I would ride my bike to the Cox cable store and do that. Saw a lady doing her ‘airborne shuffle’ around Memorial Park and I looked around for a place to lock my bike, for future reference, of course.

Got up to the Cox store and there was a line. I wasn’t really cognizant of it being the first week of the month and I would not be alone in paying on a cable bill. There was a bit of a line at the door and a cluttered lobby. Service was moving along well, so no one was upset at the slight back up… honestly, no one gripes at all here in Omaha. And talk about friendly! One of the two service expediters stationed in the lobby guiding people to where their needs could be met was a young woman in maybe her late teens-early twenties (I don’t think that anyone working there was older than 27 or 28) and she looked absolutely adorable! I shared that compliment and she smiled and said thank you.



Sitting down as I waited my turn I couldn’t help but notice that everyone, the young blonde who was an 'exipediter' as well as the adorable girl seemed to have a pooch-pouch to them. And there were a few ‘whatever-weight’ folks in the place too. I don’t think I would be so aware of this if the Live Well Omaha campaign wasn’t everywhere in print, commercials and on billboards and buses. There are a lot of overweight folks around… but I wonder how self-conscious they really are about it. It is hard to say that many people are bothered about their weight when it comes to appearance because they all look so comfortable in their skin. Not only that, they are coupled up and not in the way that the lady from Romeo Void was singing about, as they look happy and content with each other.


Even with the lobby somewhat full there were numbers being called that were not being responded to, whoever holding them deciding to either go home or finding another way to get their business taken care of. Me, being a semi-wiseacre go up to a window and tell the cat at the window that whoever is holding that number isn’t here so take me! He laughed and said that he couldn’t do that, but wouldn’t you know it… the next few numbers didn’t show up and there you go!


THIRD...


I had mentioned to Nebraska about wanting to go to Wal-Mart and that I saw one on the west side of town. She then directed me to a Wal-Mart that is considerably closer to me and, since I was out in the vicinity I checked it out. While people think of Wal-Mart as having everything at the best prices, I know that isn’t true. Often, Meijer’s had them beat as far as the items that I shopped for and I cannot stand the store brand products that bear the Wal-Mart imprimatur. Additionally whenever I see stories on shoppers who use coupons to the point of shopping for little money, they almost NEVER are shopping at a Wal-Mart when they are showing how to shop.

I’d price the items that I saw myself buying… then picked up some break ‘n break cookies and a gallon of Edy’s because I knew that the prices for THOSE items were better than at Baker’s! I got on my bike and a bus going against the grain but with a ‘Downtown’ destination came by and I hopped on it. I do need to get familiar with town and the more often I go to different places the more places that I will add to my ‘map’. Wound through the south side of town, through the Latino neighborhoods and passed the south campus of Metro College. The bus would pass ‘the Blatt’, Rosenblatt Stadium, which was the long-time home of the College baseball World Series and the Henry Doorly Zoo, both of which are on ‘hit list’ from my childhood understanding of Omaha.



Eventually the bus neared downtown. Since I did not need to go all the way in, I got off on a street that I take up and down to the gym and proceeded to ride uphill towards home. And THAT’S when everything changed.

AND WHEN THE EMT’S CAME THEY ASKED FOR MY NAME…


… and my eyes were glazed when I spoke …

Did I ever mention that there are a lot of one way streets in Omaha? They go from east and west, north and south. The odd numbered streets go south and the even numbered ones streets go north. Sort of harder with the named streets… you simply gotta know which way they are going.  Easy enough, or so the Germans would have you believe...

If I am riding ‘against traffic’ I have to remember to flip the traffic rules. I was riding ‘up’ a street on the side that I should have been going ‘down’ on (which if I was doing more of, ‘going down’ something that is, I would not have been on my bike!!) and a car that was making a right turn totaled my bike, the front passenger side quarter panel and clip of his car… not to mention me!!

Nothing was broken and the CAT scan showed a mild concussion and they would send me home. Let Nebraska know and she was there by my side as soon as she could get away. Called the SFC and let her know what had happened and though it was late, she sent a message that she was glad I was okay and I expect to talk to her at length soon.


I did get a little weepy when I let Nebraska know what had happened… just as I was hesitant about making an entry about today’s incident. Even though I can hear lil’ Mook telling me to ‘be careful’, worried that I might have some kind of accident, I am not as worried as all that. After all, I am still going to do what I am going to do. This is simply an impediment to how quickly I am going to do things. Who knows… maybe the fates wanted me to have a new bike and the cat who hit me insurance would have to cover it. That is a good thing and another good thing is I get to see how bad I want it, if you feel what I am saying. There were a few tears and then I started dealing with what happened and what could have been done that may have avoided the situation.


“Be careful.” Or something of that nature along with an admonishment said with the best of intentions. I know, I will be a bit more careful but geez, as with the last time I was hit in Detroit, witnesses and more importantly, the police, determined that I WAS NOT AT FAULT. Period. So I AM being careful. Does this mean for me to be a little more careful?? Yes, yes it does. And I will be from here on out.


This was not what I thought I would be writing about for my next entry. But here I sit, up in the butt crack of the morning unable to get to sleep. Yet I think that it does lead into where I am going next with this thing… Don’t know when I will get back to stickin’ my nose into other folk’s blog, but hopefully I will be back up to speed before too long.

10 comments:

mrs.missalaineus said...

omg! i am so glad you are okay mark- wishing you a speedy recovery.

xxalainaxx

Toon said...

Good Lord! You had yourself a close call!
Glad you're okay.

Myra said...

I must say when I started reading your entry, I was like, "la-de-da", taking in the scenic route...until you got hit!! OMG...certainly wasn't expecting that! But then, neither were you! Glad you're ok! You are, aren't you?? Take care...

Unknown said...

Dude. Watch out. You're in Nebraska, remember? People up there, driving? They won't see you unless you're driving a tractor or have a full udder. Which is not you. Either one.

Man, that's why I quit riding my motorcycle. People just go to sleep behind the wheel - and they just don't see anything with less than four wheels - except, of course, for the aforementioned udders. Always expect the person driving the car to do something stupid. It's the only way to stay alive.

Anonymous said...

Scary!

Glad you're alright. Bikes ARE dangerous, but I guess it's too late to tell you. If you haven't already figured that out I mean...
If you still don't believe me both me and the kids have several scars to demonstrate that point. Biking is fun though.
I wonder how the hell you're supposed to combine those two.

Love
Daniel

David Dust said...

Holy crap!! Glad you are okay and fingers crossed for a new, insurance-provided bike.

Ken Riches said...

You can be right and consider it from six feet under. It is the other guy you need to worry about, so keep a sharp eye. Please be vigilant :o)

betty said...

I was like Myra, I was enjoying reading about your day until reading about the EMTS coming asking for your name, and then I thought you were just going to reference something else, not realizing you were talking about what was happening to you, Mark! It sounded dreadful, but I am glad you are okay and nothing was broken. Take care of yourself and do all they told you to do at the hospital and I hope you feel better so very soon!

betty

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Oh Lord! I had no idea! I am just making my rounds to my favorite blogs... Oh I do hope you are alright.

Will hold you in my prayers. Be well.

Beth said...

I am so glad you're okay, Mark. I have to say that Ken is right...it really is the other guy that you have to worry the most about, and being on a bike makes you more vulnerable. I know you're careful...but keep your eyes peeled for that stoopid other person who is talking on their cell phone, or just plain distracted. Sending you love and hugs,

Beth