We’ll see the city’s ripped insides
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
I bought a bicycle last week. I didn’t mean to, though I had been thinking about the concept of having a bike for a while now, it just kind of happened. I have no intention of being a serious biker, I just want to cruise leisurely around Santa Monica looking cute, having some fun, and maybe getting some exercise.
It’s scary to ride in the street though, even in a bike lane. Too many people on the sidewalks, plus I hate people who ride bicycles on the sidewalk, ever since I got hit by one in the 5th grade. Slammed from behind, and straight to the ground. The next morning: a sprained wrist, and the left side of my face is a giant scab. Needless to say, I stayed home on school pictures day the following week.
Since I’ve been riding around, you wouldn’t believe how many things I’ve found in my own neighborhood which I hadn’t seen before! There’s a hardware store, and a key-making place, a cute cafe, and a liquor store much closer than where I usually go. The fire station is really close too! That makes me feel better. They even have one of those “safe haven” abandoned baby drop-off spots. So in case I ever find myself furtively giving birth in a school bathroom, I won’t need to just leave it there.
People who have lived in LA for a long time are very nonchalant about these things but, I won’t lie, I was scared! Today’s quake was the worst I’ve felt since I’ve been out here. While it happened, it seemed like no one had any idea where to go or what to do. We all just kinda sat there waiting to see if it was going to get stronger or stop.
