So Late

7:24

I was so late.

I was getting ready for another mundane day at the office and for some reason I couldn't decide between grey or black pants--a mind-numbing conundrum. Already I had snoozed my alarm clock about four times too many and I hadn't had time to put in my eyes (contacts) or wash my greasy hair. All in all, I was a glorious mess of grogg by the time

8:07

I stumbled out the front door of my building.

While I had not had time to spend on making myself decent, I was making time for a cappuccino a la Ritual on Valencia. It was necessary to my life if I was ever going to make it through the day.

8:13

I got my usual and glared at the innocent pierced barista in my normal morning grumpiness. I was immediately punished when I took a huge gulp, burning the roof of my mouth. An annoying bubble rapidly formed. Cappuccino sloshed out the mini sipping hole onto my good MJ coat and I cursed the Caffeine Gods.

8:21

Finally, capp in one hand, handles in the other, I jumped on Pinky (my Barbie pink Vespa), and set off on my journey from the Mission to FiDi. I have shocking multi-tasking skills. As I zipped along I checked my watch only to stare at a bare wrist. I groaned, and looked up just in time for the four way stop, when

8:26

FUCK! There is a beautiful woman, a completely un-pedestrian pedestrian, sprawled in the the street, limbs at awkward angles. It wasn't me--I didn't hit her. Some ass in a silver Mercedes Benz hit her. Apparently. Forgetting about time, work, my stained Marc Jacobs and burnt gums, I pulled over and leapt from my bike, feeling like an avenging superhero. I shouted something about knowing CPR (which isn't even true. I know the Heimlich maneuver, and I learned it back in high school). I reached the woman's side, but was afraid to touch her, in case her neck was broken or something.

She stared back at me. Huge eyes: endless, dark, oceans of blue.

Are you in shock? I asked stupidly.

I don't think so. She replied, still totally still.

I blinked, trying to break the spell and then my brain started to function a little more normally, while my heart thundered in my chest. My gaydar was going nuts. Why did I have to look like hell today?

Fumbling in my massive bag for my tiny cell phone, I told her I would call 911. After watching me dig, flustered, she, thoroughly calm, directed me to her phone in her bag which had fallen a few feet away. I dialed quickly, fingers trembling, and got a busy signal. WTF.

She laughed--I hadn't realized I sad that out loud--and then groaned. Her hands clung to her ribs. At this point, having ascertained his Benz was a-ok, Asshole wandered over.

Get away dickwad! screamed some strange creature inhabiting my body. And she shushed me. Shushed me! I couldn't believe it. I loved it.

Asshole douchily tried to smooth things over with me but I wasn't having it. Words were exchanged and despite her pain, the woman was highly amused. Somewhere in there an ambulance came blaring through; she was strapped to a stretcher and doors slammed shut, effectively blocking me from her. It was a total blur, of cops and paramedics and lights. I was interviewed, Asshole was interviewed, and eventually everyone was gone

9:18

leaving me standing with Pinky, late to work, and wondering what had just happened, and who that intoxicating woman was. And oddly glad to have snoozed four times.

9:47

Finally at work, where I gave the most far fetched explanation for tardiness known to woman, I heard my cell ring. And then I realized the cell I pulled out of the pocked of my MJ coat, vibrating vigorously, was not in fact mine. It was hers.

Always,

Louise

photo cred: ~Solutus, deviantART www.deviantart.com/deviation/38506306/