I felt alive

*This post is not intended for everyone. If you're a worrier, go here .



I came up to the access ramp but saw brake lights on the highway and decided, "Rather than dealing with traffic, I'll go straight. It's the next exit anyway."
Fifty-five miles per hour on the motorcycle, I should have slowed down for the busy intersection regulated only by stop signs. I let off the throttle slightly for the train tracks. A car slowed to turn right. I stayed straight in the left lane. A car waited on my left. The 4x4 bright red Ford pickup didn't see me.
Dropped the gas -
Grabbed the clutch -
Pulled the break -
Fish tailed around his bumper -
Over-corrected -
Tumbled, motorcycle on top, and slid to a stop.

"Wow. It happened. I've fallen." Adrenaline rushed through me. I squeezed my leg out from under the bike. Traffic stopped, but I didn't notice anyone but a guy who pulled over and got out to check on me. I gave him an "OK" sign and started to lift the motorcycle. "No no, just wait," he told me, then grabbed the handle bars and lifted it up. The red pickup parked and the driver came over to help. The brake was jammed, so three of us had to pull or push on the bike to get it off the road, out of the puddle of spilt gasoline. Hoyt, the driver of the Ford, was noticeably shaken. I removed my helmet. I told him and the other man, and a third who came over, that I was fine. "No worries," I said. Hoyt disagreed. "Yes, worries. I can't believe that. Are you okay?" I assured him and the other men. Hoyt and I talked slowly about what happened, checked to make sure the motorcycle was fine. As I thought it, Hoyt said, "It's nice to meet you. Not in these circumstances, though!" We laughed and agreed. He gave me his number in case anything was wrong with me or the bike, then he watched me drive away, just to make sure.