i am an unrequited astronomer, pretend patient, gentle adventurer, pedal enthusiast, recovering calligrapher, occasional thespian and unfinished poet living in portland, oregon. contacting me via email is usually a good idea.
11:59 PM: car-ma
[#]
[0]
tonight as i was driving home some boys jumped out as if they were going to run in front of my car. as i skidded past them, they leapt back onto the sidewalk laughing, and i shook my tiny fist at them, outraged. i turned around a block later and came back to them. they were trying the same trick with other cars, but i knew it was coming so i curved the wheel to get closer to them and rolled down the window. i was calmer, curious, but not angry:
"why are you doing that?" i asked.
"you almost ran me over!" the younger one said.
"no, you're jumping out deliberately into traffic. why are you doing that?"
"i'm just looking for the bus, man," said the older one.
"you scared me!" i said. "i was really afraid for you!"
"did you flip us off?" the younger one asked.
i look chagrined: "yeah, i probably did. i'm sorry, but i was scared!"
the younger boy sidles up to the car. "if you wanted to do something nice, you could give us a ride."
"i don't think so. i'm uncomfortable with that. but please be more careful, okay?"