Late for Dinner

once, when i was about 9 years old, i asked my mom if i could ride my bike out of the usual territory. i used the term " out of the neighborhood" and she agreed. instead of riding around glyndon, i decided to ride my bike to ames, because they had a more awesome selection of candy and i had about 80 cents. that's when candy bars were 50. i made it there and i chose some candy, and i got something out of the gumball/toymachines. riding back, i couldn't remember which direction i came in, so i started one way, and after riding a bit, decided that everything felt unfamiliar and i turned around. i headed up hill and blinded by the sun, i rode my bike straight into a mini van. it stopped, i flew off my huffy backwards and landed on my back and hit my head. scraped my elbow. my bike was hurt too, a bent tire. and i remember feeling tremendous stress and anxiety. that i'd been caught being stupid; i was going to get in trouble. and i was embarrassed, knowing it was my fault. i didn't want to face the driver, or get him involved in my life. i was determined to suck it up like a good little karateka, accept my mistake, ignore the pain, go home and get in trouble for being late to dinner. i jumped up and grabbed my bike and tried really hard to ride home but the tire was too fucked up. the van was of course following me, and as i got off my bike to walk it, the man got out of the van and convinced me to let him help me and he sure enough gave me a ride home. he was driving his son home from baseball practice before this all happened, and i can imagine that other kid thought i was a nut for riding my bike into his dad's van. i assured everyone i was a-ok, and that's all i would say besides my address. when we got to my house, my mom was outside reading and waiting for me. i jumped out of the van and ran over to hug her. then i ran inside and my mom talked to the guy for about 15 minutes. i don't remember thanking him for the ride. or my mom for not punishing me. i don't even remember the rest of the evening. but i did learn, on the ride home that day, that i was headed in the right direction on my bike before i turned around.