This post is another strange thing that happened to me while I was in Sweden. I had been living on a farm in the small town of Holmestad, near a little bit larger town called Gëtene. Every day I would ride my bike into the town, crossing a main highway with two way traffic, and attend the language school. The school consisted of many people from all over the world who didn’t speak Swedish. But that is another story.
This particular day, I went to school as usual. After school, I don’t remember why but I needed to get back to the house quickly. I started on my bike, and when I got to the main highway I stopped until traffic cleared, then proceeded on. The first thing I noticed upon crossing that main highway was a deer on the other side of the road in a field. He was eating grass when he looked up at me. He was big and beautiful, but seeing a deer is not uncommon in the area. The road leading to the farm is a two way road and the cars are driving on the opposite side of the road. I was on the right going against traffic. The farm itself was situated on the right side of the road.
I have my books tied to the back of the bike and I was speeding along, the wind in my hair and my legs pumping. I was admiring the surrounding area with its amazing simplistic beauty, the green grass, and yellow mustard flower fields, the small farms here and there.
I looked down for a moment and when I looked back up, my head jerked to the left. There was a deer, the same one that I saw earlier. He was running along side me, but not on the road, on the grass. He had his eyes on me as a rival for speed. We were running together neck and neck. Why he was following me I cannot say. But what happened next was unexpected. Somehow the deer tried to cross onto the road. I’m not sure what he was doing, but he moved towards me, like he was going to run with me. Just as he was about to cross, a car was in his way and he swerved. The deer turned towards me in an effort to avoid it but the deer didn’t realize its consequences. The deer slammed into me at a great speed. Me, the deer and the bike went airborne. A small yelp was all I was able to get out. We landed in the ditch in a great big heap.
This all happened in a split second.
The bike was on top of me and the deer on top of the bike. The buck quickly got up and took off unhurt. But my right leg and knee hurt. Pain filled my body, but I was too stunned to do anything.
The driver of the car was out in a flash and at my side. He spoke quickly, his face concerned as he lifted the bike off me. In those moments I was unable to form anything coherent. It registered that I better say something. “I’m okay.” I said.
He stopped for a moment then switched to English. He gave me a barrage of questions. I shook my head. “No don’t call for an ambulance, I live up the street. I’m sure I can get there in a few moments.” The man waited until I was able to get on the bike and was peddling away before he left.
Back at the farm I told my friend who invited me to Sweden what happened. He looked at me stunned, and then he started laughing. I could have killed him. Here I was hurt and beat up, bruised and still in shock, and he was laughing. I had a big black and blue mark on my right knee and surrounding area. No broken bones, thank God.
My friend had a good time telling all of his friend and anyone who would listen about my little bout with a deer. I think him laughing hurt more than the bruise. What Americans think is funny is different from the Swedish people.
Until next time.
This particular day, I went to school as usual. After school, I don’t remember why but I needed to get back to the house quickly. I started on my bike, and when I got to the main highway I stopped until traffic cleared, then proceeded on. The first thing I noticed upon crossing that main highway was a deer on the other side of the road in a field. He was eating grass when he looked up at me. He was big and beautiful, but seeing a deer is not uncommon in the area. The road leading to the farm is a two way road and the cars are driving on the opposite side of the road. I was on the right going against traffic. The farm itself was situated on the right side of the road.
I have my books tied to the back of the bike and I was speeding along, the wind in my hair and my legs pumping. I was admiring the surrounding area with its amazing simplistic beauty, the green grass, and yellow mustard flower fields, the small farms here and there.
I looked down for a moment and when I looked back up, my head jerked to the left. There was a deer, the same one that I saw earlier. He was running along side me, but not on the road, on the grass. He had his eyes on me as a rival for speed. We were running together neck and neck. Why he was following me I cannot say. But what happened next was unexpected. Somehow the deer tried to cross onto the road. I’m not sure what he was doing, but he moved towards me, like he was going to run with me. Just as he was about to cross, a car was in his way and he swerved. The deer turned towards me in an effort to avoid it but the deer didn’t realize its consequences. The deer slammed into me at a great speed. Me, the deer and the bike went airborne. A small yelp was all I was able to get out. We landed in the ditch in a great big heap.
This all happened in a split second.
The bike was on top of me and the deer on top of the bike. The buck quickly got up and took off unhurt. But my right leg and knee hurt. Pain filled my body, but I was too stunned to do anything.
The driver of the car was out in a flash and at my side. He spoke quickly, his face concerned as he lifted the bike off me. In those moments I was unable to form anything coherent. It registered that I better say something. “I’m okay.” I said.
He stopped for a moment then switched to English. He gave me a barrage of questions. I shook my head. “No don’t call for an ambulance, I live up the street. I’m sure I can get there in a few moments.” The man waited until I was able to get on the bike and was peddling away before he left.
Back at the farm I told my friend who invited me to Sweden what happened. He looked at me stunned, and then he started laughing. I could have killed him. Here I was hurt and beat up, bruised and still in shock, and he was laughing. I had a big black and blue mark on my right knee and surrounding area. No broken bones, thank God.
My friend had a good time telling all of his friend and anyone who would listen about my little bout with a deer. I think him laughing hurt more than the bruise. What Americans think is funny is different from the Swedish people.
Until next time.
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