crashed

I saw Christian Slater today. He was getting in the elevator in my building as I was leaving. He was wearing a white t shirt underneath a blue striped blazer, looking like any other blond Meatpacking guy. He was uncomfortably polite. I think he was startled that I recognized him. “Hey man, how’s it going” I said, not sure if it was him. He glanced to the side before forcing a smile, “Hey man”. And that was my brush with the celebrity. He seems like a guy that would be cool to throw back a beer. I left him rubbing his chin to go get a burrito.

A car almost hit me the other day. I was crossing the street while talking to Estada before she was going to leave for Africa. I haven’t spoken to her really since my Houston days, and as the walk sign blinked red, I forced myself past the little island that divided Fifth and Broadway at the Flatiron building. A van swerved and narrowly missed slicing off my foot. I think I’m lucky to be alive and not wounded. I wonder how it would be if I was missing a leg. Or an arm. I suppose I can’t climb mountains or scuba dive as readily. Nor can I run or ride a motorcycle. Funny enough, I’m not doing any of those things now, with all my limbs intact.

A car almost really hit me the other day. Walking back to the office I saw a white car jump the curb and rammed into a traffic light pole. The streetscape slowed to a halt as the outlines of New Yorkers going to lunch – businessmen and skateboarders and dog walkers and street vendors – glowed and vibrated as their motions were economized into a giant highlight reel. The traffic light pole swayed for an eternity before buckling. Like an evergreen among a forest of concrete and metal, it crashed to the pavement in a thunderous groan. Towards me. I didn’t see my life flash by. I didn’t sense anything. All I could think was “Huh, that is an odd thing to happen in the middle of the day. Perhaps I should step out of the way.”

A woman next to me heard the shriek of metal breaking and looking back to see the light coming down on her head. She yelled and ran out of the way – pretty fast for someone in pumps. It turns out that the car was unhitched from a tow truck and found it convenient to just speed on ahead and crash into a sidewalk full of bored office ants.  A few inches more and I would have been splayed on top of the roof, making the evening news. I felt sorry for the tow truck driver, he seem genuinely shaken up. I’m surprised at myself – facing the threat of death and I couldn’t muster up any drama.