I was coming home from Modern British literature class, expecting to cook something. Cruising along in the bike lane heading north on Mountain Avenue, a car came to a stop sign, stopped, then pulled directly in front of me. I was wearing helmet and gloves. I ran headlong into the small car, right into the driver window, with no chance of slowing down; I was going about 22 mph, I bet. The front tire slammed into the door, the handlebars hit the window but didn't break it, I hit my chest against the vehicle. Then I rolled off the car--all this was instantaneous--and found myself standing. I didn't hit my head, and just got three minor bruises. My bike fork broke like a twig; my road bike also suffered other damage. I don't need a new bike; the repairs will be paid by the driver.

The woman who pulled out in front of me was, ironically, someone who lived across the way when Jess and I lived at an apartment complex. She was really shaken up, felt embarrassed and guilty. I said, "Don't I know you?" not long after the crash.

Jess made me go to the university medical center emergency room, which was having a slow night, thankfully, so I got in and out in about an hour. I didn't have any injuries, but Jess wanted to make sure I was all right. I felt sort of off from the adrenaline of the event, that's all.

I think tomorrow I'll still go teach at 8 a.m., tell the students a story; maybe we'll check out of class early and go see some MFA art projects that are on display on campus, but not until 9 a.m. That leaves me 15 official minutes to detain the students.

I need to read what Susan Sontag has to write about "illness." Being a "patient" meant I didn't have authority over myself, ostensibly at the same level as the apparently homeless guy that stuck his hand in a gate and thereby got bit by a dog; he was corrected by a nurse. "The Story" must be straight.

I'm glad I'm okay. I think I'll still work out tomorrow, but I'm supposed to prepare a presentation about Freud's Beyond the Pleasure Principle. I think I'll push back my training session at GNC. Doesn't matter which days I do the training computer program on, it just needs to be done.

--adam