Falling Down

I'm running along Riverside Drive going over the bridge above 125th Street and (as usual) I look at the top of the fence, think about how easy it would be to climb up there and then jump. I picture myself floating for about half-a-second and then hitting the ground with a resounding thud.

I keep running and a few minutes later I trip and fall in slow motion. I first stick my hands out to brace myself, them remembering how I tore up the palms of my hands the last time I tripped while running and worried about breaking my wrists, I quickly turn my hands and try to land on my side. I'm somewhat successful. I only slightly scratch my palms and I get a scrape on the side of my hand. My face tastes some asphalt but fortunately no marks are left. Same for the knees.

Obviously it's a little weird to picture myself jumping off a bridge and then actually falling down just a few seconds later. I decided midway through the fall that I don't want to actually go that way. Too much time for regret.

The part I left out was that the reason I fell (I think) is that instead of paying attention to the sidewalk I was busy checking myself out in the reflections of the car windows while I was running.

Needless to say, the whole experience brought me crashing back to earth, in a good way.