The Cyclist (Part 1)
September 16th, 2020
Starring: Syd (female, 28-38), Karolina (female, 55-65)
Mid-morning. Big city. The intersection of a quiet side street and a semi-busy main street. Syd walks up the side street sidewalk, towards the corner. She wears a Jansport backpack and earbuds. 15 feet ahead of her, she watches Karolina speed around the corner on her bike, not in control. Karolina swerves her handlebars, just grazing a USPS mail drop. Her bike hits a fire hydrant, and she goes flying, falling somewhere near the curb between sidewalk and street. Nobody else seems to see but Syd. Syd reaches Karolina, who is facedown, and hasn’t moved since her fall. Syd takes a moment, considering whether she should bypass the incident entirely. Guilt overcomes her:
SYD
Ma’am?
Ma’am are you hurt?
Karolina speaks, still face down:
KAROLINA
I’m trying to figure that out.
SYD
Would you like me to call someone?
KAROLINA
That’s not necessary at the moment.
SYD
Can I at least help you get up?
KAROLINA
No need, thank you.
Syd stares at Karolina, who’s still unmoved. She wonders if now’s the chance to go again.
SYD
Are you sure you don’t—
KAROLINA
You’re very kind.
But I don’t plan on getting up for some time.
SYD
Well
Well maybe if you got—
KAROLINA
Have ever seen a bird hit a window?
SYD
...yes.
KAROLINA
They don’t just start flying again. They accept the shock.
The body needs time to recalibrate. If I get right back up, I risk doing more damage by acting like nothing ever happened.
SYD
...
So you’d prefer to be left alone?
KAROLINA
I should be fine either way.
Whatever you want.
SYD
Well I don’t want people to get the wrong idea—
KAROLINA
Let them. This isn’t my first time.
SYD
So
Did you mean to…?
Was this an experiment?
KAROLINA
Life’s an experiment.
I’m alive, that’s what matters.
…
SYD
Yes.
I’m glad you’re alive too.
I hope you’re not hurt and um
You recover
KAROLINA
I will.
Good day.
Syd looks around the street. Nobody’s around, or has come and gone since. Syd pops her buds back in and keeps walking. She doesn’t turn back.