BANG!

Hi everyone...

Just thought i'd let you know, i met with a little accident yesterday....

i took the unwise decision of bicycling down to the Sodhi's place at a time when most car-owners dare not venture out. To make things a little spicier, i decided to take one of the darkest, most desolate roads in the city. And to top it all off, i decided to ride on the left side of the track, instead of the right, since it would help me avoid the scary traffic intersection ahead.

All was well, until an Austrian guy on his bike, like me, on the same dark road without any form of lighting whatsoever, came down the path at roughly 40 k's an hour, about my speed as well. We didn't quite see each other until our bikes and bodies collided head-on at full throttle. I felt no pain at all, just a mild shock, and kept repeating "bad dream, bad dream, Wake up, godammit!!"

I fell into a ditch not a metre from the wire fence built to keep the crocs and snapper turtles out(i did hear an investigatory splash in the reptile-infested waters though) while the Austrian lay at the curb groaning. i got up instantly, and went over to his side, asking him if he was ok. He replied, "vot happened?"

at which i gave him a brief treatise of the relevant events. He said that the could'nt get up, and despite my efforts to get him onto his back, it was too painful for him. I whipped out my pocket flashlight and began flagging down cars, none of which stopped. Instead a sheriff arrived on the scene, followed by an ambulance. By now, the pain started to set in, and i sat down. i was strapped into a neck-brace and laid onto a back-board, and taken to the ER.

of course, i was wide awake and alert(rather, super-alert) and i called Bart, Nikhil and the Sodhis to let them know of the situation. They arrived at the hospital soon after iwas wheeled in. After a few X-rays, it was clear that my neck was just severely sprained, and no broken bones were to be had. The doctor prescribed some painkillers and sent me on my way.

The Austrian, whose name is Manfred(Von Richthofen??)who turned out to be a guy in his fifties, was really hurt. He broke his collarbone, and possibly a rib or two as well. Nikhil took the details from me, asking if the guy had a light on his bike, which he didn't, and told me not to worry, admist rising concerns of a possible law-suit.

As the Irish may say, Me neck's fucked, man.

Funnily enough, there was a constant musical score to this whole episode, namely Mozart's horn concerto no.9, a rather cheery piece, which played over and over in my head all the while.