Getting run over by a bicycle... aka... Truth is stranger than fiction.

Truth is often stranger than fiction because something’s in life leave you so befuddled you wonder how the hell it actually happened. But from those oddities, we manage to find inspiration for the things that happen to our characters.

Today for example.

We’d recently found out that we were pregnant. It wasn’t supposed to happen. Our doctors gave us a 10% chance of ever conceiving. We’d given up on trying long ago. But fate I guess had other plans.

Hubby came home very early from work. As he did the brown box shuffle, I realized before he even said the words, that he had been let go. His company had been running massive layoffs lately and we knew the axe was about to drop. I only hoped that he might avoid the chopping block.

With the new baby on the way, thoughts about money and losing insurance immediately sent my anxiety level shooting through the roof!

In my frustrations, I looked to the heavens and said “well, what else can go wrong. What else are you going to throw at me?”

Oh how I wish I had never said those words.

After an emotional dinner, it was decided we get out for some fresh air. Hubby’s version of exercise is to walk around his favorite computer store. I suggested “real” fresh air. Our neighborhood has a wonderful bike/walking path. “A little fresh air will do us good. It's healthy and walking is good exercise.”

He grumbled but agreed.

So munchkin grabbed her bike, and hubby and I tossed on our shoes and went for a walk.

About halfway down the path, in the middle of a conversation about how to handle our work situation, I was struck from behind.

The world began to rotate. I felt a hard jab against my back. I threw out my hands as the ground rushed toward me. My knee impacted first, then my elbow, then my forearm. I heard “Whoa,” Being screamed, but in slow motion. My body twisted to the side and finally I came to rest on the pavement.

On top of me was a strange, black metal cage. At least, that’s what it looked like in my immediate disorientation. I shook my head and shoved at the metal bars. It wasn’t a cage at all, it was a bicycle.

“Sorry sorry sorry,” a man chanted to the side of me.

Dizzy, I tried to get up and failed. “I’m…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I wasn’t sure I was all right. I was pregnant and just had an accident. Would I be all right? Would the baby be all right? I didn’t want to lose my miracle baby.

“Sorry sorry sorry,” the man chanted again.

My husband was dumbfounded. “Honey, are you all right?”

My daughter was worried. “Mommy, are you ok?”

The only phrase I could think to say was “I was pregnant.” Why “was”, I guess that was my fear talking.

My husband sprang to action. “She’s pregnant you idiot. Why the hell did you run her over?”

“I didn’t know. I looked down for a second. I was changing songs on my iPod.”

They warn you about the dangers of texting and driving, but I guess no one ever thought to warn people about using personal electronics and biking. It really should go without saying, but I guess some people just have to learn the hard way, by running over pregnant women.

So we take a trip to the ER. Every time the nurse asked me what happened and I said "I was run over by a guy on a bike," they said, "Oh you should stay away from motorcycles."

"No," I'd say. "A mountain bike, you know, an 18 speed."

Then they would look at me like I had come from mars. "You got run over by a bicycle?" They couldn't believe it. How does someone, anyone get run over by a bicycle? It's not like they go that fast? And, the path was straight, no hills, no dips, just a straight lane of asphalt. There was plenty of time to see us walking ahead. There was no excuse. But, funnily enough, when I mentioned he was playing with his iPod, everyone in the ER responded with the same "knowing" head shake of disapproval.

Thankfully, after the lengthy trip to the ER, I found out I am still pregnant and baby is growing just fine.

The moral of this story is, don’t ever tempt fate! And, even more importantly… Keep your eyes on the friggen road, whether you are driving or biking.

And lastly, if you are ever run over by a bike, find a way to write that into a story because dammit, you just can't make that crap up!!!