Spread 1
February 22, 2009
TEXT
from an email I wrote to friends on Tuesday morning - February 5th - at 4pm:
On Monday night, I took a spill on my brand-new bike and broke my right elbow. I am still getting used to how light and responsive this new ride is, and a small bump in the road became a ramp and I tipped over. My elbow slid along, eating pavement for a few feet. Oddly, my sleeve did not shred. A nice lady named Toby who’d just parked ran home, brought me back Advil and orange juice and draped her jacket over my shoulders. I called Sadie. I was supposed to meet her at Lucky 13 for drinks. While I waited for Sadie, Toby disappeared back across the street and brought me a bag lunch.
Fast forward to the Kaiser ER (just a block away from the crash site). Me and Sadie are giggling and talking about boys, just like we had planned. I told her that the Kaiser ER is the new underground spot. A cute Irish paramedic keeps walking by, and a hunky orderly named Zach wheels me to X-ray in a chair that’s totally build for racing. I keep wanting him to go faster and pivot around corners.
The X-ray is clear; it’s a nasty break. A big chunk of bone broke off, still attached to the tricep. From the outside, it looks like I’ve got the heel of a baguette underneath my skin, and it’s beginning to turn purple. The ER doc says I’ll have to come back on Tuesday evening for surgery. She also says that, after surgery, I’ll be in a cast for a month and I’ll have to do physical therapy to get back full range of motion. That’s when I start crying. I won’t be able to go to Arizona this weekend. I won’t be doing yoga or riding my bike or finishing the first issue of a zine called “Blame It On Pluto” anytime soon. (Sadie said I should do a special zine for the occasion called “My Left-Handed Zine” instead, and I think I will.)
Which is a long way of getting around to why I’m writing this email. I can’t even tie a fucking shoe right now. (Not that I’m asking you to tie my shoes: I’ve been meaning to get some Vans slip-ons for ages!) I’m asking for rides. I’m asking for walking buddies since I gotta burn off all this energy I’m so used to expending. I’m asking for stories and jokes and whatever else will make me smile and feel connected.