An eventful Thursday

Bonk vt (from the bicyclist’s dictionary) To suffer a period of severe lassitude due to not eating or drinking sufficiently while riding.


If you’ve never experienced this, to bonk while riding, you don’t know how suddenly and without any warning your body shuts down and you cannot pedal your bike any more. It only happened to me once, riding up Philmont Avenue about 20 years ago. I could not go any further and I wound up sleeping next to my bike on somebody’s front lawn. When I woke up, I had something to eat and drink, and I was able to continue my ride. I vowed never to let that happen again.

Until yesterday, that is. Yesterday was the day I had surgery on my right knee to fix the problem I caused a few weeks ago in an act of stupidity at the ballpark. Before surgery, you’re instructed not to eat or drink anything from midnight on. I had to be at Hahnemann at 7:30 AM. I arrived on time and I was brought back into the surgical unit promptly. By 9 AM I was in the OR and I did not feel or see anything until I woke up in recovery at 11:30 AM. The operation went well, and now I have 3-4 days of recovery and 3-4 weeks of rehab before I’ll be able to go back to work. The folks at Hahnemann could not have been better, dealing with me and all the patients with professionalism and compassion, what they call good bedside manners.

On the way home I wanted to stop at the bar to let the folks know that I hadn’t forgotten them and for some lunch. Mrs. CCC dropped me off and parked the car. I went in and the place was crowded so instead of sitting at a table, I sat at the end of the bar and ordered drinks for myself (soft) and Mrs. CCC (hard). She came in and we ordered lunch. But before lunch arrived, I felt the evil clutches of bonking; I felt very light-headed, and all I could do was put my head between my knees so I wouldn’t pass out. When I lifted my head, it only got as far as the edge of the bar, where I sat until Mrs. CCC brought the car around and she and Drew, the bartender, got me back in the car for the short ride home. She and I sat in the courtyard and ate our lunch, which gave me the strength to make it up the steps. I probably won’t be going back down the stairs until I feel much better than I do now, so give me a call or drop me a line so I know you’re all OK. Trust me, I’m in good hands. Mrs. CCC could teach Florence Nightingale a few things. God Bless her.

Enjoy your holiday weekend. And Go Flyers and Phillies!