Lesson learned

I decided to go to the grocery store. Andrew so generously loaned me the bike we recently got for him to ride. If you are already thinking, "This sounds just a little bit risky," hold on to your pants. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

After hitting up Tinex (one of the local grocery stores) and purchasing laundry detergent, olive oil, bread, and salt; safely stowing the detergent and oil in my bag/purse, I headed to a produce market located in the bottom floor of Global Shopping Center (mall). Strange, I know...yet so great! 3 grapefruits, 4 apples, 2 tomatoes, 2 red peppers, and 15 eggs later I was satisfied with my purchases and ready to head home. I safely tucked the eggs in my bag along with some of my Tinex purchases, juggling produce with the bread and salt on either end of the handle bar...and we're mainly unsteadily off! (Mom, you can go ahead and stop reading now) I pulled out into the street lined with parked cars to my right and one lane of moving traffic on my left. Suddenly I see a car backing up about 30 feet away. What was a somewhat gentle attempt at slowing the bike ended up throwing myself over the handlebars and my grapefruit, apples, and cellphone onto the street. Did I mention it was raining? I hurriedly round up my phone and produce before any oncoming traffic could get the best of them. Meanwhile, a very kind Macedonian fellow saw the great distress I was in and came to my rescue, helping me get the bike to the sidewalk. I will never know what he was saying to me. I don't think he was scolding me, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had some words of advice. I wanted to explain to him what happened, but I couldn't. All I could say was "fala" (thanks). Now that I think about it, I probably should have said "blagodoram," which is the more formal version of thank you. But at the time I was just ready to get out of there. I'm pretty sure he won't hold it against me. He helped me get going again, generously giving me a new bag for my produce, and I slowly and carefully rode the rest of the way home...on the sidewalk.

I rode away relatively unscathed and chin-up slightly. My purchases on the other hand didn't fair so well. 2 apples majorly bruised, salt container busted (guess I'll be buying salt again), and 5 of my 15 eggs broken...in my bag...fantastic!

I think within any situation, good or bad, there is a lesson to be learned. So, I've decided I won't be going grocery shopping (at least not to the same extent) on a bike again. (Thanks Andrew, but no thanks) I've also decided that whoever thought it would be a good idea to put breaks on the front tire of a bike has never ridden one before. One more thing, I need to get serious about learning Macedonian.