It was 37 degrees outside, I was bundled up riding my bike home from school. Tucked under my red hat, my ear buds send the sounds of the Dixie Chicks to my ears. I am about a mile from school, crossing a busy intersection when….

the left pedal snaps off… my foot slams into the pavement and my body twists sending waves of pain over all of it.

“Damn, what the hell happened?” I say to myself, a small part of me relieved that I didn’t fall completely and bang myself all to hell (mostly worried that I would have looked the fool).

I pull the bike over to the side, prop it up on the kickstand… the wind blows the bike precariously so I reposition it on the sidewalk. The bolt part of the pedal is filled with grease, and I see some shavings on the bolt… I make an attempt to reattach the bolt, to no avail.

I know 2 people really in Virginia Beach, I know one of them is up toward DC working and the other is self-employed. I call the one here… but he’s “busy” and suggests I walk home until he can get away. So, I walk for three miles, building on a resentment of a @%*#! that wouldn’t come and get me… I’m trying to get over it.

Now, I have to try to fix the bike. My legs hurt, my arm hurts and my side hurts a little.

Well, at least I’m alive, guys got to be grateful about something!