The Accident

April 28th

I'm in my room when the front door bangs open.

"Is anyone home?!"
"Yeah, what's up?"
I meet Tisi on the landing of the stairs. She latches on with a fierce hug. "I just got hit by a car on my bike."

The BMW had pulled out quick. Jackamo, the 21 year old driver, was in a hurry and not paying attention. Car hit bike and sent Tisi flying backward.

As she fell, she watched her shoes come off her feet and soar through the air in slow-motion before joining her on the ground.

***

She's not feeling too much pain and, remarkably, has only a few scrapes that are quickly cleaned up. Nonetheless, Harrie and I decide a visit to the hospital isn't a bad idea. I grumble that the guy should have taken her directly, what was he thinking. Harrie calls a cab and I make some sweet, milky tea (which someone had recently described to me as sookie-la-la tea).
The cab pulls up, I grab a deck of cards and chess board and we're out the door.

***

Three hours, a game of chess, and several rounds of cards later, the intake nurse who's just come on shift is reviewing everyone's status.
"What happened?"
"I got hit by a car on my bike."
"So, you fell off your bike?"
"Well, I got hit by a car and then I fell off..."
"So. You fell off your bike."
Sigh.
"Yes."

By this point most of the shock and adrenalin has worked through Tisi's system; she's still not feeling any acute pain and decides it's best we go home.

***

I certainly wish my darling housemate hadn't been hit by a car (while on her bike, which she then fell off of, thank you for clarifying, Nurse.)

But on the positive side:
1) Tisi's stiffness lasted only a few days and the scrapes healed up shortly after.
2) Jackamo paid for the nearly $600 worth of repairs to Tisi's bike ("No dramas," as they say here).
3) Tisi and I have been two peas in a pod ever since.

Nothing brings people close together like trauma, sookie-la-la tea, and chess in a hospital waiting room.