Bicycles are dangerous, too

Yo, Yo, 'Sup,


So, I knew it would happen eventually; and now that it is over, I feel relieved.

I got in my first bike accident tonight.

Totally Big Lebowski style, too. I was riding along, minding my own business, doing my own thing, when I ran straight, smack-dab, into a garbage receptical. I flew off my bike, over the handlebars and landed in the street. Some cars swerved around me and a guy in a shop looked at me. I gave him the thumbs up as I picked myself up off the pavement. I stood up, brushed myself off and looked my body over. There was blood pouring from both of my feet. Obviously I was concerned and inspected a little closer.

I cut the top of both of my big toes right off. It's not as bad as it sounds, even though I bled like crazy and had to wash my flip-flops out when I got home. Fortunately I have some PolySporin and put it on my toes after scrubbing them with soap (with my eyes squinted shut for the pain). I am hobbling around my apartment and figure that I will have to switch to shoes for a few days. My feet don't hurt, as in pain, they just ache, like a headache in my feet; although when I was scrubbing them clean it was agony.

The most ironic part is that I had just finished having a conversation with a friend where he challenged my lack of helmet. I told him that I am a very competent rider and won't fall. He said that I might feel dorky with a helmet on, but I would feel more dorky when my brains were splattered on the pavement. It is a good thing that the other end of me ended up splattered; it was still shocking enough that I plan on buying a helmet.
I am now in the dilemma of whether to bandage up my bloody toes for the night, or to sleep with them exposed to air. I don't know....

I am sorry that I don't have any profound stories for you; the wind is temporarily out of my sails. In my hurt-toes-ness, I am missing the normalcy of Sam's house and KP's house, too.
At least I got a beautiful e-mail from my nephew, Jack. That made me feel a million times better

Today, at work, I logged some more videos into the computer and had lunch with the gang and Sri (MCC Jerusalem Rep.). I looked at some office chairs with Talia, at a local store, and realised just how much comfort is worth. My back has been killing me for a couple of days because I have a crummy chair at work and crummy chairs at home - things need to change or I might as well move to Notre Dame...if you get my point.

I went to the beach after work for a sunset swim. It was nice, although all day I have felt introspective and somewhat melancholic. I wonder if when all of you read my e-mails if you just smile to yourselves and say "oh, that's nice, Darren." I wonder if you think that what I am doing is inconsequential and benign.

Let me tell you, though, that today, a reporter from THE GUARDIAN (an English Leftish newspaper) came to the office to look for leads and resources. I got to sit in on most of the conversation and when they asked me how I felt, I told them that daily I tremble, feeling something greater than myself and a part of something VERY important. I don't expect you folk, in North America, to understand what I am exposed to, or the truths that I am learning. I know that you have learned history a certain way. I learned the same history...about how Israel was formed as a modern miracle and how the zionist Jews turned an empty land from fruitlessness to fruitfulness.

I, too, learned the "history" that the Jews were ruthlessly attacked by the surrounding Arab nations...but I have learned, here, that all that I learned regarding this "history" was false. Some kind of grand conspiracy to fool all the "good citizens of the West" to gain sympathy for a cruel militaristic regime. it saddens me when I receive e-mails or telephone conversations from people who feel the need to defend national Israel. I keep wondering what it is that propels such a desire to claim Israel as the victim and Palestinians as "bad" and "dirty." I don't know the answer; but I do know that I used to, too, hold those opinons. Maybe the Bible stories; maybe the whiteness of the West; I'm not sure.

I have felt patronised by some people about what I am doing. But, I think, the truth is that I am part of something historical; something greater than I can ever express. That's what I told the reporters today: that everyday when I go to work I feel this emotion inside of me that sometimes drives me to tears but always makes me feel this sense of urgency, like I am part of something HUGE; something that will affect the entire world. And for that, not only do I feel privileged, but VERY grateful.

Anyway, my feet throb, so I end this off.

Peace in the middle Eass,
Burro D Block OUT