Destroy all cars.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009


On a perfect day like yesterday, you gotta pretty much expect something downright crappy is going to happen to keep everything in perspective. It did. On the way to band practice, in my car, I struck a dog as it ran across Glenwood Avenue in Minneapolis, just west of Lyndale. The dog's owner, having been chasing the dog when it managed to find the street, ran to its side right away, as did I, once I'd pulled over and gotten out of the car, in shock. The owner believed that the dog, too, was merely in shock; he saw the whole thing, and seemed to think the dog was essentially unhurt. I desperately wanted to exchange information, help out in some way, give this man everything I owned to make up for this accident, but he shooed me off, insisting the dog would be fine, and it wasn't my fault, and I shouldn't worry. I have no reason to believe the dog is not fine. Thinking back on the details of the accident, I suspect the dog was hit by a plastic part under the front bumper, which snapped off, and then the dog rolled under the car.

Still, afterward, I parked my car and cried for about ten minutes. So now you know I'm a big softy. Maybe especially for little dogs.

I hadn't meant for that narrative to be as long as it was.

Tonight is class. Specifically, we're taking a field trip down to Minnehaha Park, where an ancient sacred spring of the Dakota people, the Cold Water Spring, as it is known, is located. Then we'll go to a community center in Mendota for a talk on the subject. Stands to be interesting. Maybe somehow, someday, I'll incorporate some of the info into a future FTM for SAB.

In YA NOVEL the First news (see what I did there?), I'll be meeting with my editor on Tuesday to begin making what was an MS into a finely honed piece of literature. I seriously can't wait to get started.

Comments

7 Responses to “Destroy all cars.”
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Alea said...

Oh wow that really sucks. I hope that dog is ok, totally not your fault though!

Good luck with your book!

April 1, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Kangaroo B said...

Why do the good people who are not responsible for the harm that results from their actions--harm that they would do everything to avoid if they only knew how--sit by the roadside crying in guilt, while the masters of the universe, who really are responsible for the harm that results from their actions--harm they would not care to avoid even if they knew how--sleep soundly at night?

It's a mystery.

(Of course, I'm not saying that I don't understand your reaction; I'd react in exactly the same way. But it's pretty unjust that guilt comes so easily to the one's who need it the least).

April 1, 2009 at 1:19 PM
Steve Brezenoff said...

Well, Roo, when you put it like that, I just wanna cry some more!

It also makes me shudder to think that Cheney sleeps well. I bet not without pills or an IV or a coffin or something.

April 1, 2009 at 1:37 PM
PurpleClover said...

Aww I'm sorry. It totally sucks to hit an animal (I know...I've done my fair share and cried each time).

It just says a lot more about you. And that's a good thing.

April 1, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Emily Harris said...

Congrats on your book deal! It's such a bummer that your special day got kind of ruined by this incident. Try not too feel too bad though, it's so not your fault!

April 1, 2009 at 5:41 PM
carla said...

Congrats on the book deal! Seriously cool... sorry about the dog thing that's always a huge bummer, hopefully all is well.

But the reason I'm posting is on the note of Minnehaha for FTM... bummer I'll miss that!

April 2, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Steve Brezenoff said...

Meh, Carla. Who knows if it will even happen! I do hope the series continues though, for sure.

April 2, 2009 at 1:15 PM