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Friday, October 18, 2013

Friday Morning Pedestrian


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.

58 comments:

  1. Yes! That fear of seeing or being involved in human damage. Especially when it's created by human foolishness.

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    1. I can see you've been there, Renee. Thanks for visiting!

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  2. I 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

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  3. I am having difficulty suppressing the urge to say "He deserved it!".... Damnit!

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    1. I hear ya, Joe. It's the fear speaking. Thanks!

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  4. Because 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.

    We 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.

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    1. Kids and traffic. Guaranteed to stop your heart.
      Thank you so much, Kir!

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  5. A missed heartbeat when such incidents occur.

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    1. At least one. Thanks for reading and commenting, Kalpana!

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  6. The worst. And then you sit there and think, what if? What if?

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    1. Yes. I manage to block it out fairly quickly afterwards, but that split second...
      Thanks, Mel!

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  7. These close calls make my heart stop. I see them too often...thank goodness nothing tragic yet.

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    1. I also have a "bad" light at the square near my home, and have seen plenty of close calls there.
      Knock wood on the tragic.
      Thanks, Janna!

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  8. 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.

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    1. Don't know if it's reckless or under-caffeined... but it's the same effect.
      Thank you, lumdog!

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  9. That would be a horrifying situation and it is a fear for others' safety which you presented here. Well-written and well conveyed.
    -HA

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    1. Fear for others' safety, but the racing heart was my own...
      Thanks so much, HA!

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  10. 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.

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    1. I 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.
      Thanks for the visit and your comments, Ann!

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  11. This is simply beautiful.

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  12. One of many reasons why I hate driving! If the buses ran as late as I work, I would definitely use that option instead.

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    1. I thought walking to work was a no-brainer. Now I've learned to stand three feet from the street at every curb!
      Thanks for the visit, Draug!

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  13. I hate driving downtown for that very reason!

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    1. I only take the car when I'm leaving the city - can't stand driving in it.
      Cheers, Tina!

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  14. I had this happen to me as well, scary to see how stupid people can be.

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    1. Scary people scaring you and then doing scary things!
      Thanks for reading and commenting, Glynis!

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  15. Been there, and you've captured it so well. Great take on the prompt Kymm!

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  16. This sort of thing definitely scares me like no other. Lives are so precious--safety on the road is no joke! Great response, Kymm!

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    1. Few things scare me anymore, but these moments do.
      Thank you so much, Sandra!

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  17. Well written! Great prompt!

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  18. I'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.

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    1. Other's are reckless. We're absentminded. Or distracted. Or not thinking. lol
      Thanks, Tri!

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  19. And your stomach clenches and you hold your breath...close call

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  20. 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!

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    1. God, that's awful, Valerie! I imagine the bystanders weren't thinking, they'll be feeling. Hope there was no lasting damage!
      Thanks so much for sharing (and for the compliment, too)!

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  21. 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.

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    1. Thanks so much, Christine!
      Cyclists are a whole other kettle of fish - those on the sidewalks and those on the shoulder!

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  22. Very realistic.. sounds like a nightmare almost.

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    1. So I guess your nightmares are very vivid...
      Thanks so much, Björn!

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  23. Realistic, evocative - great entry, Kymm!

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  24. You 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.

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    1. Hm, I guess so.
      I try to keep these close-calls in mind when I'm behind the wheel, too.
      Thanks, Tom!

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  25. my heart skipped a beat!! Wonderfully paced!

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  26. eep! A heart-stopping moment, I feel the anxiety.

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    1. It certainly was. Thanks for reading and commenting, Beth!

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  27. Yipes, that is scary.

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  28. The 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!

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    1. Not paying attention... especially driving. I scare myself silly on purpose when I catch myself at the wheel.
      Thanks, troy!

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