The first incident really wasn't life threatening.  It happened the first day I brought my bike home.  I had just learned to ride it, and I was riding around in a nice, secluded, quiet suburb, in a big circle.  I was just starting to get comfortable riding the bike and I kept going around the circle faster and faster.  Then, I noticed that I was approaching this bend waay too fast.  I slammed on the brakes, but I wasn't slowing down fast enough, you know?  So, being the fraidy cat that I am, I bailed.  I jumped off and the bike spilled.  Luckily, I landed on the grass and did a little roll, and the bike was dumped on to the grass. 

Of course, I couldn't spill when no one was watching, right?  There had to be a witness.  An old man watering his lawn came up to me and asked, "Are you alright son?"  I got up, dusted myself off and said, "yes.  Thank you", and went to check on the bike.  The headlight was broken, and the handlebar had knocked a little dent into the fuel tank, but besides from that, she was alright.  The dent in the fuel tank gives her a little character, in my opinion.  Since then, I've been real careful about riding my bike and haven't dumped the bike once after that(knock on wood). 

The second time I almost bought the farm, I was riding around in the city on a nice, warm day.  The sun was out, and because I lived blocks away from the beach at the time, and because I lived near a college campus, there were many young people in their bathing suits walking to the beach.  As I was rounding a corner, a girl caught my fancy.  She was wearing a white bikini top, denim shorts and was carrying a beach blanket rolled up in her hand.  Her blonde hair was tied in a tight ponytail and her sunglasses resting on top of her head.  I was captivated by her beauty and couldn't help but stare. 

When I rounded the corner, there was an SUV with a tire on the back.  I didn't see it until I turned my head away from this girl and it was no more than 10 feet in front of me.  I squeezed on both of the brakes and my bike made an audible screech as it came to a stop.  My front tire actually bumped the back bumper of the SUV and I had to put my hand out to keep myself from smashing my face against the tire of the SUV.  I almost did a face plant on the back of the SUV not paying attention to where I was going.  Since then, I always look at where I'm going and ogle girls only when I'm stopped.  :)

The third time I almost bought it, I was coming back from making a food run.  It was pretty late at night, and I had just pulled out from the drive thru of a White Castle(for those of you unfamiliar with White Castle, think McDonald's).  There were these dark, ominous clouds that were fast approaching and I wanted to get home before it started to rain.  The food in my backpack was warm, and I could feel the heat searing my back.  I was in a hurry.  Besides, I was hungry as hell.  Ravaged, in fact. 

So I twist the throttle out of the parking lot and I head north on the street.  As soon as I made the turn, it started to rain.  Not just little drops of rain, I'm talking about a torrential downpour.  Big honkin' drops of rain.  Sheets of it flying sideways.  When it just starts to rain, that's when it's the most dangerous, because the oil on the street lifts up off the road and the roads become more slick then it is when it's been raining a while.  I'm like Billy Joel in a sense that I don't mind riding in the rain.  :D  It's just that when it starts to rain, I get a little worried. 

So I'm riding down the street in this torrential downpour, wiping my goggles with the sleeve of my jacket as I'm riding.  Then, the car in front of me comes to am abrupt stop.  I squeeze my brakes and instead of my bike coming to a stop, I feel the back tire of my bike slip on the slick pavement.  My life didn't flash before my eyes.  All I could think was, "Oh s**t".  That's all I had time for, I think.  Though looking back on it, it seemed like it happened in slow motion.  The back tire completely goes out beneath me and I slid to a stop with the bike going sideways.  It was like an action movie and I put my foot out to pivot the bike as it came to a stop.  Then the car in front of me started to move, so I continued riding. 

The last time I almost bought the farm, it was just me not paying attention.  I just rode right through a red light at an intersection.  I didn't even notice that the traffic light was there.  As I rode through the intersection, I looked to my left and there was a city bus not 10 feet away from me.  I looked over because I was startled at the horn.  I rode through that intersection like Mr. Magoo.  I was lucky no one broad-sided me.  I would have bought the farm for sure.  Since then, I always look both ways before crossing the street.  :)

After each of those instances, I rode back shivering in fear.  The adrenaline pumping through one's body makes one jittery and shaky for a while.  After each of those instances, I got off the bike and thanked the dear lord for letting me live to tell about it. 

I know that one day, I'm going to have to ultimately pay up.  But for now, these instances of dodging the bone collector gives me a small sense of victory.  So far, it's Grape:  Many, and Death: zero.  One day, Death will come to collect, and I'll have to settle the tab, but until then, I'm going to continue on. 

I'm waiting for the day to turn warmer so that I can taunt the Reaper a few more times this year. 

However, I am more careful now than I was before.  I did learn some lessons, you see. 

Soon...

Thanks for stopping in. 

Grape.