THUD

She slowed her taxi to a halt at the crossroads.

Like on a racetrack, cars tore by.

We waited.

The conversation was mundane but friendly.

I began by talking about heavy downpours.

La Nina, she said.

I thought it meant droughts.

Where you're situated near the equator or below it. She said. 

She put her foot down on the accelerator.

A mountain biker hurtled towards us.

Like in the movies he landed on our windscreen.

Fuuuck he grimaced at her.

He stumbled away.

Behind us, he limped towards his friend, another bike rider.

We drove through the intersection and parked, shell-shocked. 

Janice Slater   October 2023