On ghosts

A look in the mirror, a painful memory, and the colors of hard work

Week one of military bootcamp. I had already fractured my foot then and it was doing bad. One afternoon, We ran to our sleeping quarters and I made the rookie mistake of removing my combat boots to check on my feet because I wasn’t feeling them. Lo an behold, I saw my foot swell to double in size in like 10 seconds. I had a moment of panic.

I had the same moment of panic today

I walked in the door after that savage 6h ride with the intention of changing shoes and going out for a brick run.

When I saw my face in the foyer mirror, I panicked. I felt sorry for myself for a second.

I looked white, as if I’d seen a ghost. I looked scary. No blood in my face, just sunburnt, pale, black, blue, grimy and shiny and the same time.

146km in the road ain’t nothing.

Filed underThe mechanics
Words153
Published21 Sep 2024
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