I saw somebody get hit by a car the other day. I can't believe it took me this long to tell you. I was walking back from the gym and had just crossed the street when I heard a loud CRUNCH behind me. I figured, great, somebody hit one of the light poles again (they get hit a lot in that intersection) and I turn around and there is a dude my age flying over a car and landing on the ground behind it. He tries to get up but all of us watching were like NO NO NO DON'T GET UP. He was bloody but otherwise seemed fine. The driver of the car had stopped immediately and looked like he was going to throw up. The ambulance arrived quickly and carted the victim away.

About two seconds after I saw all this, I tried to figure out who had the light. And I could not remember. I had just crossed the same street (on the other side), and I think I had waited for the walk signal and then crossed. Or did I? My mind was totally blank. If I had waited for the walk signal, how had the light turned green so fast? And if it had just turned green, why was the driver of the car going so fast? Maybe I hadn't waited for the signal, maybe I went when the light was green but I didn't see any cars. But I don't think I did, because the way the crosswalk is set up, there's no gap between the end of the sidewalk and traffic, and I'm always careful not to get too close for fear of getting hit by a car.

Getting hit by a car is my biggest fear. Some people are afraid of terrorism or being shot. What's the point of being afraid of things that will never happen? People in the middle of the country afraid that "terrorists" are coming to get them. Newsflash, Montana: the terrorists don't care about you. I choose to focus my fear on things that could actually happen to me. Several friends have been hit by cars (nothing serious), and now I've witnessed someone getting hit by a car (a little more serious), and I think the next one will probably be coming for me. I have now abandoned by New York training, and will wait for a walk signal unless I don't see cars as far as the eye can see. Or at least for now. It's easy to get lazy about traffic safety- there was at least one street crossing in Midtown today where I got across the street and realized, I never looked at the light or the walk signal, I just went because the people in front of me were going. Danger!