[Critique Group 1] Sorry. pieces for group1 were due 'Wendsday

[tuchyner5 at aol.com]

I completely forgot that peieces were due for next Wednesday last  Wednesday. Below is my submission.


Balls of Fire




 


It was 1980 in Central Virginia, and I was on my way home.That is a simple sentence. We don’t usually think of going home from work as adifficult or momentous task. But it was. Let me explain.  I lived about 20 miles from my house inRuckersville. My means of transportation was a bicycle.  I needed to use a bike, because of my sight.You see, I can’t see all that well. I’m legally blind. But I could see wellenough for the slow speed of a bicycle.  AsI said, I was on my way home. 



My route was completely on secondary roads that ran pastfarms, widely scattered houses and other countrified objects, as is befitting arural area. The weather was threatening. Very threatening. The sky was dark. Itwas already evening, but this was almost as dark as night, and an ominousatmosphere pervaded.  I expected it tostorm before I reached home.



Sure enough, the droplets came.  There is a section of the road on Route 20which is full of twists and turns. Then the road straightens, and one has aclear view of the fields surrounding the road on both sides.  Before I was out of the twisty place, itreally started coming down. By the time I reached the open area, the lightningand thunder started. The thunder was so loud it shook my bones. I was reallyfrightened of being hit. I was afraid of the bolts striking nearby and sendinga current up past the tires and sending it into my body. I don’t know whetherthat is realistic, but I was afraid to get off the bike. As far as I knew, thenarrow rubber wheels were some protection.



As I came out of the last bend and viewed the fields infront and on either side of me, I saw something out of Hell.  The lightning was taking the form of ballsthat flew across the fields.  They werered, to my memory. But they could have been blue, as well. 



I was in the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell. Therewas no place to hide. I didn’t dare get off the bike, for reasons alreadydescribed.  As I said, there was no placeto go even if I could get down. ‘Keep going’ was the word of the day. I was aswet as I had ever been coming out of the ocean. I was completely vulnerable. Atleast, it felt like that.  Did I mention,I was not wearing a shirt? So, I kept going. Until the storm passed.   



I have never witnessed ball lightening before and don’t knowof anyone who has. I have heard of it. It is really something you don’t want toexperience when riding a bike without even a shirt for protection.   I knowI don’t want to ever again.



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