shine on

Don't do it you little shit, I thought. I had watched the woman sweeping the sidewalk, shoo the dog away from her. There was plenty of grass to the right of the walk, and nothing but traffic on the left, including me, out for a morning bike cruise. Don't even think about it you flea-ridden mut. The dog took one look at me, paused, and then dove into my wheel. Awesome. My first Asia bike wreck. No helmet, and I didn't even get to keep the dog. I did however, get to slam my shoulder into the road, bounce my head off the pavement at appx 15mph and mess up my hair. Damn it.

Lucky for me, and everyone else involved, when I think I might actually be hurt, I get quiet. Then, I get pissed off. Wanted to kill the dog. He was long gone. Wanted to yell at the woman who had shoo'd him into my path, not even bothering to see if I was okay. Decided against it. Wanted to make sure my face was still attached. It was. Picked up my bike and water bottle that had escaped on impact and threw them at the side of the road, then stood on the sidewalk and well, cried.

A woman in a car and a man in a tuk-tuk, who had seen it all go down, pulled over to help me. I wasn't hurt so much as scared and I could see that a lump was forming under my right eye. Fucking dog. Of all things! Whatever. I couldn't stop crying and didn't quite know what to do. A few minutes of confusion, and I got in the car w/ the woman who was speaking English, bless her. I gave my bike to the guy in the tuk-tuk, to follow us, and half hoped he would disappear with the cursed thing. I'm thinking to myself that I know better than to be running around w/ useless break pads, but I'm not sure that would have made a difference. I would likely have just thrown mysef over the handlebars instead of run into the dog...I can't believe I got into a bike wreck w/ a dog.

The woman brought me to her house, the tuk-tuk dropped my bike off and I thanked and paid him 50 cents--still love this country. She, Pu, led me to the bathroom, gave me a towel and helped me clean my scratches, then put iodine on everything and sent me to the couch, "to help you relax".
"Thank you. Thank you so much." I said. I was fine, am fine. Still, I wanted a moment to freeze. Freeze and cry my heart out becuase I didn't know what else to do.
"I need to get back to the g.h. I am supposed to meet a man at 10:30 about a teaching job"...looking like I just made out w/ someone's fist. Sweet. For the moment, just breathe. Breathe through the momentary shock...of plowing into a dog. I can't help laughing and crying at mysef and the stupidity of the situation. I give it a few minutes before picking myself up, cussing the dog, my bike, my idiotic refusal to change brake pads, and now I'm ready to ride again.

Back at the guest house, I retreive my clean laundry. Looking the underwear-counting-laundry-man square in the eye, pretending like I don't appear to have just had my ass handed to me, puffy eye, dirt and torn fabric decorating my right side...becuse it's important to defend one's sense of pride regarding underwear. I need a cup of coffee and a shower.

All that and an interview later, I am here to tell you that I will begin teaching English at a small, Vientiene college, on Monday. In addition, I've been recruited to help brainstorm and organize a student cycling event. The goal: To encourage biking, over driving cars and motorbikes, while providing a venue to speak English.
"Bicycle to Speak English" he says, smiling.
Somehow, this is to fit w/in my three week, Vientiene window. And I now have an offer to stay for a year and be provided w/ a decent (for Laos) paying job and endless opportunities...dear god, when it rains it pours.