Have you noticed how thrillers often start in a comfortable homely scene just before everything goes wrong? Here is a mini thriller with a miracle ending:
On Saturday, I was going to London to meet one of my oldest friends, Annabel. I have known her since Brownies where we met, aged 7. We come from the same fenlands. We think in the same language. We were excited about meeting up for the first time in 2 years. London is halfway between where we live. Both travelling to town by train, we were going to an art exhibition followed by a late lunch. It had been planned for weeks.
I got up early, showered, put on a dress and boots and started cycling to the railway station the other side of town. I had put a banana and a bottle of water to have on the journey into a shopping bag and hung it loosely on the handlebar.
Two streets from my house, as I was freewheeling downhill, the bag jammed in the front wheel and I was thrown over the handlebars.
During the ‘slow-motion’ experience, I thought the following:
“Oh dear, this is not good – I am in the air – I am not wearing a helmet – Probably need to protect my head – If I twist my right shoulder towards the ground and keep my head up I might be okay – I wonder if anyone in the street is watching – I do not want to miss the train – I have cut the timings too fine – I really want to see Annabel – I wonder if my clothes will be torn – Why didn’t I wear trousers? – If I die, who will tell my daughter? – Who will feed the cat? – This is NOT going to hurt ”
These thoughts went through my head in a millisecond. The bike landed near me. There was no-one around. The front wheel was buckled. The bag, bottle and the banana still stuck in it. I was alive.
I am 52 years old. It was my first ever experience of going over the handlebars of a bike. I landed on my right arm and my right knee. Cautiously, I moved my limbs and my head. No real pain. I stood up slowly. “That is a miracle”
I dragged the bike (wheels still jammed) back home. My neighbour was outside his house. Rather than going inside my own house to cry and hibernate for the day, I asked if he would give me a lift to the station in his car because I had to catch the train in 8 minutes. He kindly agreed.
Managed to catch the train with 5 seconds to spare. Said a little prayer.
We had a BRILLIANT day full of laughter. I lived it as if it were my last. Because it almost was. Annabel, who is a nurse, recommended I take off my clothes very carefully that night in case my arms and legs fell off. Luckily they did not. I have a tiny scratch on my knee. My elbow took the brunt of the fall yet still bends my arm perfectly. It clearly was ‘no time to die’. (see photo).
The future is never ours. The past is gone. It has given us a gift – known as The Present. The best we can do is make it count.
And remember to wear a cycle helmet.