Earlier in this blog, I described the SECOND most hilarious (Read humiliating)fall that I have done in public. Well it doesn't seem fair to tease about the first (read worst) fall. Here it goes:
It's early on a weekday morning and I'm rushing to catch the #33 bus that meanders around Magnolia before heading downtown. It's important to catch that bus, because the Magnolia buses only come around every half hour or so, and that is if they are on time. This has taken some getting used to, so I am running down my dead-end street and down a flight of stairs to the street below. As I reach the street, I can hear the bus chugging up the slight incline towards the bus stop and me, about a half block behind it.
I'm running, partially to make sure that the bus stops, and because I recalled being annoyed observing people taking their own sweet time to get on a bus that is waiting specifically for them. I race to the other side of the street and continue running along the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street.
About 15 feet in front of the bus, my foot catches something on the ground–a clump of dirt, a rock, who knows– and I go sailing in the air. After some considerable air time, I land on my hands and knees, skidding in the wet grass and dirt. As I let out a loud swear word before I can gether my senses, I look up at the bus.
I see the driver, and several passenger heads, craning to look at me. They all have the same expression, of curiousity, amusement, and horror on my behalf. I hear that hydraulic sound as the driver opens the door for me.
I get on my feet and notice the two green and brown stripes working their way down my khaki pants from my knees to my ankles. What should I do? Do I turn my head in shame tell the driver "nevermind" and walk home to change my pants, come back and get the next bus? Or, do I suck it up, get on the damn bus and endure the entire day in my downtown office with grass and mud on my pants?
No matter what I do, I'll always be that girl who bit it in front of the bus. I don't want to be that girl who bit it in front of the bus and was too embarrassed to get on it. I got on that bus.
As I mounted the steps, I realized that not only did the front half of the bus witness my fall, but many surely heard the profanity as well. I put my fare in the machine, declined a transfer and walked towards the back of the bus. I felt like Mr. Rooney at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I could almost hear that Yello song (chuka chu kah...)
I smiled and began to laugh at my own fortune, but no one would laugh with me. No one would even LOOK at me! I was invisible! I finally found a seat and sat in it, thinking what a fun day I had in store for me. Suddenly this little gray head peeks from around the seat in front of me and this little old lady says, "Are you all right, dear?"
"I'm just fine, thank you," I said, and laughed again.
It's early on a weekday morning and I'm rushing to catch the #33 bus that meanders around Magnolia before heading downtown. It's important to catch that bus, because the Magnolia buses only come around every half hour or so, and that is if they are on time. This has taken some getting used to, so I am running down my dead-end street and down a flight of stairs to the street below. As I reach the street, I can hear the bus chugging up the slight incline towards the bus stop and me, about a half block behind it.
I'm running, partially to make sure that the bus stops, and because I recalled being annoyed observing people taking their own sweet time to get on a bus that is waiting specifically for them. I race to the other side of the street and continue running along the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street.
About 15 feet in front of the bus, my foot catches something on the ground–a clump of dirt, a rock, who knows– and I go sailing in the air. After some considerable air time, I land on my hands and knees, skidding in the wet grass and dirt. As I let out a loud swear word before I can gether my senses, I look up at the bus.
I see the driver, and several passenger heads, craning to look at me. They all have the same expression, of curiousity, amusement, and horror on my behalf. I hear that hydraulic sound as the driver opens the door for me.
I get on my feet and notice the two green and brown stripes working their way down my khaki pants from my knees to my ankles. What should I do? Do I turn my head in shame tell the driver "nevermind" and walk home to change my pants, come back and get the next bus? Or, do I suck it up, get on the damn bus and endure the entire day in my downtown office with grass and mud on my pants?
No matter what I do, I'll always be that girl who bit it in front of the bus. I don't want to be that girl who bit it in front of the bus and was too embarrassed to get on it. I got on that bus.
As I mounted the steps, I realized that not only did the front half of the bus witness my fall, but many surely heard the profanity as well. I put my fare in the machine, declined a transfer and walked towards the back of the bus. I felt like Mr. Rooney at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I could almost hear that Yello song (chuka chu kah...)
I smiled and began to laugh at my own fortune, but no one would laugh with me. No one would even LOOK at me! I was invisible! I finally found a seat and sat in it, thinking what a fun day I had in store for me. Suddenly this little gray head peeks from around the seat in front of me and this little old lady says, "Are you all right, dear?"
"I'm just fine, thank you," I said, and laughed again.
posted by kerrymac @ 5:45 PM
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