the last straw

I got hit by a car today.

It's been a rough few days and I thought I'd do something good for my mental health after work, and go for a bike ride

I got hit by a car.

Nothing too major, just a thoughtless idiot opening a car door -wham- straight into my left hand crushed on the handlebars; twisted me into the middle of the road, I slammed my right foot hard down

stoppedsuddenstillstanding

squeaked in fright

Luckily the car behind me was being courteous and responsible and had given me loads of room, so he stopped in time, didn't run me down.

A gormless sorry from the culprit. I can't inflect in writing like it sounded. Sorry. I can't help it. You're only a cyclist. Oh dear, I can't be bothered.

I remonstrated. Politely it must be said.
I didn't scream at him: you could have killed me, you bloody idiot. You should always look when you open the door. You're lucky it's not worse.
It was too much. I felt like I was about to fall apart. I didn't take his name and number plate and report him for negligence. I should have. If I'd been a car he would have offered himself.

The girl friend said: he said sorry, didn't he?
Everyone stood around. The cars behind me waited.

I left. I hurt. It was the final straw.

I got back on my bike and I burst into tears.
Shaking, dripping salt tears that dried on my cheeks, in shock I kept cycling. Waiting to calm down. And I went way too far in the wrong direction. Couldn't look at the nice friendly people who smiled and let me by. Unending tears rolling down my cheeks.

I finally turned back, frozen, wondering why my leg, that I've been working so hard to strengthen for running again, was getting steadily more painful. It was a long cold ride home.

I realise that the whole of my right side is jarred. My ankle and wrist are swollen.

My flatmate made me a bath, and dinner and I feel a bit better now, have stopped shaking. It wasn't that bad, it could been much worse, no need for all those tears.

I still hurt though. I should have taken his number. But it was the last straw that hit me.

I'll put up the last two days of blips another day. And go to bed now.