~*...who does that?...*~

yesterday, i was riding my bike to a restaurant to visit my friend. normally, i ride on the road, but where i was it was easier for me to ride the short distance on the sidewalk than cross the street and ride the 50ft up to the intersection. that was my first mistake.

as i rode up on the sidewalk, i ended up behind 5 youtz. gettin around them was going to be a challenge, but i did my best to ride as far to the right of them as possible. as i attempted to pass them, i said "excuse me". i didn't hit anyone, but there wasn't really much room to spare. the dude i cam very close to hitting with my bike yelled out "you should be riding on the fukkin road you fuck!"

those kinds of comments do not deserve a response in my books, so i said nothing and kept on riding. just up at the stoplight, i got off my bike and waited for the light to change. the restaurant i was heading to was just across the street. as i walked my bike across the street, one of the guys i just passed was all of a sudden up in my face yelling "you nearly knocked my brother over you fuck!". i said "sorry dude". then the dude punched me in the jaw and walked back to his posse of badass youtz.

i was in shock as i had never been punched in the face before. i don't normally piss people off enough for them get violent with me, and i didn't even hit anyone with my bike! the people on the street corner asked if i was ok. i wasn't bleeding, just more in shock. who does that?

as i walked my bike to the restaurant, i began thinking to myself that i could use my bike lock as a weapon if this guy and his band of thugs wanted to come back and finish teaching me my lesson. i have never thought of using my bike lock as a weapon, or anything as a weapon for that matter...but there i was thinking of how i could defend myself and hurt someone if necessary. there were so many new and unfamiliar feelings being stimulated in me at that moment, i was having a hard time absorbing it all.

i got into the restaurant quickly thinking i might find some sort of refuge inside an establishment. man that sucked. not knowing what to do with myself, being in shock and what not, i ordered a beer and shed some tears as i waited for my friend. it was then i noticed my headset was gone. i ran back outside to find my bluetooth headset in the middle of the street being run over by cars. i picked it up only to find that bluetooth headsets weren't designed to be run over by traffik i guess my jaw wasn't meant to be punched by youtz with attitudes either.

my friend showed up and we shared a bottle of red as we tried to give shape to what just happened. it was good to have someone i care about to be there with me. i mean, i understand i provoked these guys by riding my bike past them, but did i really deserve a punch in the jaw? some people. who knows what might have happened if it had escalated. five guys against me would have resulted in me having my ass handed to me.

after wine, i went over to isa and darryl's place to kewl out, only to find out that my back tire was flat. whether it was just a flat or it was slashed has yet to be determined. punch in the jaw, busted up headset, flat tire...shitty things happen in threes.

it was awesome chillin with isa and eatin jerk chicken wings. i'm going to miss my times at isa and darryl's place when i'm gone.

i keep the best people in my life. there are also many assholes in this world, and last night i came face to face with one. you can read what the tribe krew had to say about it, and listen to them share stories about gettin punched in the face here.

normaste