I walk....
I don't think I can forget Tuesday the 7th of October 2008 for a long long time. I can still see the scene vividly. I came down a pedestrian bridge that morning, and continued walking in a hurry as I was late for an appointment, when something terrible happened.
An okada tried to cross to the sidelane (on a four lane road), when it suddenly overturned, at full speed. The passenger got dragged a few feet before being separated from the bike. The okada rider (as we call them), had jumped and landed a few feet away. I stood frozen in place, praying that the passenger had not died, he sat up slowly, and glanced at his laptop bag a few feet away from where he'd skidded to a halt. That was when I noticed his leg. His left leg had broken....at the shins. That is after the knee...it had broken forward at an unearthly angle...and he sat there watching it.
People ran towards him...there was a wail of agony at the incident. I still shudder when I picture it. He was just staring at the leg, like it was not his own, like it was not part of him.
By the time I got to my destination, I was crying uncontrollably.
And the best part....the best part is that the rider was unhurt....and I actually had considered biking to my appointment. From my crib, its quite a distance.
Right now, everytime I see a motorcycle, I look down at my legs.
I prayed for the man, that it wont be amputated, that it will all be alright soon.
Its too painful to even think about it. I don't take bikes anymore. I carry walking shoes (ballet shoes) instead. If its too far and I can't wait,
I walk.
An okada tried to cross to the sidelane (on a four lane road), when it suddenly overturned, at full speed. The passenger got dragged a few feet before being separated from the bike. The okada rider (as we call them), had jumped and landed a few feet away. I stood frozen in place, praying that the passenger had not died, he sat up slowly, and glanced at his laptop bag a few feet away from where he'd skidded to a halt. That was when I noticed his leg. His left leg had broken....at the shins. That is after the knee...it had broken forward at an unearthly angle...and he sat there watching it.
People ran towards him...there was a wail of agony at the incident. I still shudder when I picture it. He was just staring at the leg, like it was not his own, like it was not part of him.
By the time I got to my destination, I was crying uncontrollably.
And the best part....the best part is that the rider was unhurt....and I actually had considered biking to my appointment. From my crib, its quite a distance.
Right now, everytime I see a motorcycle, I look down at my legs.
I prayed for the man, that it wont be amputated, that it will all be alright soon.
Its too painful to even think about it. I don't take bikes anymore. I carry walking shoes (ballet shoes) instead. If its too far and I can't wait,
I walk.
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