Standing at the light,
huge
bus to my right.
A whoosh to my left.
I jump.
His skateboard deftly
pushed forward against the red.
Just as a taxi noses ahead
of the
bus.
33 words for 
who asked what scares us.
who asked what scares us.
'13 Untitled (Sally) 51,668;
'12 Barcelona Clash 51,878;
'11 Mojo Madness 52,793;
'10 Changing Directions 53,400;
'09 Daybreak 56,565;
'08 Vacant 52,486
Yes! That fear of seeing or being involved in human damage. Especially when it's created by human foolishness.
ReplyDeleteI can see you've been there, Renee. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteI almost hit a stupid teenager running through the parking lot after my daughter's softball game. I didn't sleep that night with the thought of almost...well done
ReplyDeleteWhoa, that is scary. Thanks, Lance!
DeleteI am having difficulty suppressing the urge to say "He deserved it!".... Damnit!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, Joe. It's the fear speaking. Thanks!
DeleteYikes! Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteYikes indeed. Thank you, Grace!
DeleteBecause I don't drive much (My husband and I commute, so I get "Driven" ...) when I do, I am always afraid of parking lots and intersections etc. It got worse when I had kids too, because you can't think about anything happening to them and 5 yr olds love to scoot out into the street.
ReplyDeleteWe spend a lot in NYC lately and they are getting much better at not 'Scooting" but it is a rush pump of blood when one on a skateboard comes out of nowhere. :)
Nice , nice write.
Kids and traffic. Guaranteed to stop your heart.
DeleteThank you so much, Kir!
A missed heartbeat when such incidents occur.
ReplyDeleteAt least one. Thanks for reading and commenting, Kalpana!
DeleteThe worst. And then you sit there and think, what if? What if?
ReplyDeleteYes. I manage to block it out fairly quickly afterwards, but that split second...
DeleteThanks, Mel!
These close calls make my heart stop. I see them too often...thank goodness nothing tragic yet.
ReplyDeleteI also have a "bad" light at the square near my home, and have seen plenty of close calls there.
DeleteKnock wood on the tragic.
Thanks, Janna!
Yeah, I hate that feeling. And I get pissed that people are so reckless, even if its their own lives they're playing with. You bring it all back.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if it's reckless or under-caffeined... but it's the same effect.
DeleteThank you, lumdog!
That would be a horrifying situation and it is a fear for others' safety which you presented here. Well-written and well conveyed.
ReplyDelete-HA
Fear for others' safety, but the racing heart was my own...
DeleteThanks so much, HA!
I drive a hectic stretch of road four times a day. The darting people do in cars, on bikes, on foot. They are just one.daydream or phone call away from calamity.
ReplyDeleteI can scare myself silly on a boring stretch of road when I don't remember having passed a certain landmark. Distraction would be a dumb way to die.
DeleteThanks for the visit and your comments, Ann!
This is simply beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo very kind of you, Aesop. Thank you!
DeleteOne of many reasons why I hate driving! If the buses ran as late as I work, I would definitely use that option instead.
ReplyDeleteI thought walking to work was a no-brainer. Now I've learned to stand three feet from the street at every curb!
DeleteThanks for the visit, Draug!
I hate driving downtown for that very reason!
ReplyDeleteI only take the car when I'm leaving the city - can't stand driving in it.
DeleteCheers, Tina!
I had this happen to me as well, scary to see how stupid people can be.
ReplyDeleteScary people scaring you and then doing scary things!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting, Glynis!
Been there, and you've captured it so well. Great take on the prompt Kymm!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne!!
DeleteThank you so much!
This sort of thing definitely scares me like no other. Lives are so precious--safety on the road is no joke! Great response, Kymm!
ReplyDeleteFew things scare me anymore, but these moments do.
DeleteThank you so much, Sandra!
Well written! Great prompt!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, mlle!
DeleteI'm really intrigued by the reactions of the others here. I mean, I feel the same way, but it's interesting to me that we all do. So where the hell are the reckless ones? Thanks for linking up. Don't forget to vote.
ReplyDeleteOther's are reckless. We're absentminded. Or distracted. Or not thinking. lol
DeleteThanks, Tri!
And your stomach clenches and you hold your breath...close call
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteThanks for the visit, Melanie!
This was me a few years ago, except it was a reckless pickup truck driver and he ran me down as I was walking to a college class. I still wonder what bystanders thought when they saw it happen. This was good Kymm! I felt like I was right there beside you!
ReplyDeleteGod, that's awful, Valerie! I imagine the bystanders weren't thinking, they'll be feeling. Hope there was no lasting damage!
DeleteThanks so much for sharing (and for the compliment, too)!
I saw a cyclist get hit by a car two days ago - terrifying indeed, even if nobody was seriously hurt. That split second feeling of helplessness... you completely captured it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Christine!
DeleteCyclists are a whole other kettle of fish - those on the sidewalks and those on the shoulder!
Very realistic.. sounds like a nightmare almost.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess your nightmares are very vivid...
DeleteThanks so much, Björn!
Realistic, evocative - great entry, Kymm!
ReplyDeleteGlad you thought so. Thanks, TIZ!
DeleteYou have tapped into a universal response, Kymm. Would burst into flames of guilt if I did the damage to another. Wouldn't want to be witness to it, either. You've got us all cringing. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHm, I guess so.
DeleteI try to keep these close-calls in mind when I'm behind the wheel, too.
Thanks, Tom!
my heart skipped a beat!! Wonderfully paced!
ReplyDeleteI thank you kindly, SAM!
Deleteeep! A heart-stopping moment, I feel the anxiety.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was. Thanks for reading and commenting, Beth!
DeleteYipes, that is scary.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the "yipes", Michael!
DeleteThe fear of not paying attention is one of the bigger ones for me. The fear iof being hit by a car is also pretty danged high up on the list. Chilling!
ReplyDeleteNot paying attention... especially driving. I scare myself silly on purpose when I catch myself at the wheel.
DeleteThanks, troy!