Signs are all around us. Most of the time, they don’t kill you. If they are figurative, they warn of something horrid or wonderful in your future. But signs are meaningless if you are not around to see how life turns out. Why would the universe bother sending you one if it kills you?
Splat.
Wind can be a literal sign of a change in the weather. Remember Dorothy and the tornado? She ignored a sign of epic proportions. After her wild dream, she probably became an agoraphobic.
Last Thursday the wind blew all day. It howled down the mountains and roared along the Front Range. It assaulted my car while I drove to downtown Denver.
My husband, Danny, and I parked under Writers Square and emerged from the elevator at the same time as my daughter, who worked six floors up. We planned to stop around the corner at Overland Sheepskin to see my sister, Patty, before going to dinner.
We had to walk outside the building to reenter Overland.
Thunderous waves of wind blasted between buildings. It tore at our clothes. It’s a little know fact that Colorado’s wind speeds can hit way above hurricane force.
I had been released into the wild after six weeks of mending a broken wrist. Still unused to not wearing an air cast, my arm hung limp at my side.
Do you see the size of the chairs in comparison? Yep. It was a pretty big sign.
We rounded a corner and passed a crepe restaurant. Although the wind carried warm air from the south, no one sat outside. No surprise there. I would imagine the windows would become decorated in a fine assortment of the egg concoction.
We passed the entry to their outdoor patio.
CLANG!
Their shoulder height, free-standing sign displaying their menu blew over on its face right in front of me.
I caught my breath as one of the servers dashed outside to pick it up. He must have heard the crash.
Two more steps and I would have been flattened. It would have smashed my left arm and hip. The concrete could have knocked me out. Not knowing what hit me, I could have been killed.
Later, we learned the highway and light rail had been closed. Authorities feared the enormous IKEA sign would blow off the building. It could have killed dozens. Now do you believe me about the wind?
Was the crash of the crepe sign a sign?
Of course it was literally a sign, but was the Universe trying to send me a figurative sign by almost killing me with a sign?
While we ate dinner, I wondered…
What was the Universe trying to tell me?
1. Wear body armor.
2. You are very lucky. Play the lottery.
3. No one messes with Mother Nature, not even you.
4. Buy stock in wind power.
5. Don’t ever walk by a crepe shop when it’s windy without two bodyguards.
6. You are a force to be reckoned with.
7. Stay home the rest of your life, like Dorothy.
8. Life has the power to blow your mind or blow you away.
9. Timing is everything.
10. Signs can kill. Eat more crepes.
The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind. I couldn’t resist a little existentialism from my buddy, Bob.
What do you think?
Not to worry, Susie… if the big C can’t take you down,a mere sign doesn’t stand a chance…
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Love you, Hook! Ha! You are right. I’m way too badass. That made my day!
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How scary! I am so relieved to know you weren’t hurt. I think you’ve filled your quota.
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Thanks, Darla! I honestly did wrack my brain thinking why that happened. Pure luck, I guess. Yep. I am so over being injured. I played tennis last night and for the first time in a full year, felt really good on the court. Yay!
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That is awesome!
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You are amazing!
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Mostly just lucky. Thanks, Julie!
I can’t believe all this stuff happens, but I had witnesses. It didn’t shake up Courtney or Danny as much as it freaked me out!
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Like the saying goes: “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.” It gave you a blog.
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I haven’t heard that one! It sure didn’t blow any good. That night kept haunting me, so I had to write about it. You’re right. A blog post is worth something!
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10. Signs can kill. Eat more crepes. That’s the ticket..:)
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Hahaha! Right? I better eat one the next time I’m in the neighborhood. What if something REALLY crazy happens???
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Live life to the fullest because you just never know! And eat more crepes!
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That is PERFECT! We really don’t. I plan to eat a few the next time I’m in Denver. HA!
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I’d buy some wind power stock. (and a lottery ticket).
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Right??? At least I lived to tell yet another tale. I can’t believe this “stuff” happens or in this case almost happens. 🙂
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Almost happens is way better. If anyone deserves a few injury-free months it’s you.
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Thanks, Cassandra! That’s what I think too. I used to play a ton of tennis and just started back last night! It’s been a really long time since I played like that. Yay! Things are lookin’ up.
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Yikes, Susie! The chinooks in Colorado are amazing, but most of the time we have a place inside to go to, unlike when hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. We’ve been nearly blown off mountains many times, like in the middle of the night when my sleeping bag rolled over and over (with me inside it) off Mount Washington. We packed up and hiked down at 2 a.m. just to get out of the wind!
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Oh, my God! That is super scary. You would have stake your sleeping bag or tie yourself to a rock! Can you imagine how lame it would have been if I had been injured by that restaurant menu sign? GAH! I’m so happy I escaped that one.
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I think it was a ploy by the crepe restaurant to scare you into going inside and dining at their place. I always found it interesting when I lived on the Oregon Coast that we could get hurricane force winds, flooding rivers, huge evergreen trees uprooting and crushing houses and cars and blocking highways, landslides from the rain-drenched soil… but it was merely called a “winter storm.” Maybe you could write a sequel: “Dorothy Moves out West.”
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I bet you are right! I’ll have to eat a crepe next time. I don’t want that to happen ever again! 🙂
Isn’t that weird about how blasé they are about the weather in our states? Coming from Wisconsin, it is WILD!
And Dorothy locks her doors and windows and is never seen again. The End. Ha!
Thanks for stopping by, Maggie!
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Wind is a scary thing. I know my dogs freak out when it’s windy. I often wonder how the animals and birds fare out in the woods on those days. Where can they hide with branches flying through the trees like missiles. And in town we have our own missiles (signs) and window panes crashing down. Very scary!
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It is scary! I wonder too. I once read, in frigid conditions, birds puff out their feathers to keep warm and can freeze to death if startled. I can’t imagine what they do in the wind!
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Having lived in Boulder for 10 years, I can attest to that wicked wind that blows there. It was one of the few things I hated about the area. I’m glad that restaurant sign was a sign you missed tripping over. Be careful out there, Susie.
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I’m just glad it didn’t fall on me!
The wind pulses like waves on the shore, but it makes me nervous. I can’t imagine living in Wyoming. It’s worse there!
Thanks, Mary! Great to “see” you.
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Stay indoor and eat Crepes…. Safe. 🙂
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Exactly, except I’m far from being “a Dorothy!” Ha! Crepes sound really good to me though…
Thanks, John!
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It tells me I ought to finish my blog about my worst falls…right after I get rid of this cold. >.<
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Feel better!
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I’m going with the “eat more crepes” interpretation because, c’mon, more crepes.
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Right? I’ll have to buy strawberries. I’ve got eggs and whipped cream already to go.
Can you believe the crazy stuff that happens or ALMOST happens to me? I’m on a lucky streak…
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That’s scary. So sudden and almost tragic. I’d take it as a sign that you should do #4, so that you can live off the profits as #7.
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It really shook me up.
That’s a great plan. I want to live a Wild Life, with no more near death experiences. 🙂 Fingers crossed and running to knock on wood or my pointed head, whichever is closer…
Thanks, Ally!
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Susie, it’s just a sign of the times, hee hee. Personally, I love the wind. When I lived in Florida, I loved it when the hurricanes would come blowing. I know don’t say it, I’m likely the heir apparent to Jim Cantore.
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I love the weather and watch storms roll in, but there is something about the wind that blasts here that makes me nervous. It can last for days and keep you up at night.
Jim better watch his back!
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LOL. I don’t know…he’s a pretty durable (and very likable) guy. :O)
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Durable is important in that business. Brrrrrr……
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I’ll bet his survival instincts have a tendency to kick in now and then.
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Maybe it was ‘Just a reminder that you are going to sign out some time – but not today!’
Pity we haven’t figured out how to collect and store that sort of power long-term. It would be goodbye to fossil fuels. Wind farms are not the answer while they moider boidies.
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I LOVE it! Sign out… Ha! I was trying to think of all the cliches.
The wind is insane here. It is so like water and should be harnessed some other way. I agree!
No moidering today at least.
Thanks Colonist. Great to “see” you!
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I think you dodged a bullet, or actually, a sign, Susie. I’ve had a few odd, close calls myself through the years. Unlike you, I didn’t wonder if my escaping severe bodily harm was a sign of something. In those situations, I recall thinking every time, “Holy shit, I could have been killed!” And then things went back to being comfortably “meh”. I wish you may more years of comfortably “meh”.
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You crack me up! Yep. I’m all about “meh.” I think I was very lucky not to have been in a bigger hurry.
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You are definitely a force to be reckoned with, Susie. But, to be on the safe side, I’d eat more crepes.
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Good idea! I’m off to buy strawberries. Whooooooooooooooosh……
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You, my friend, are a force of nature. A great post. I always love your use of verbs–and certainly here. Profound thanks for the music as well. Kudos.
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Thanks so much, Catherine! I love playing around with words. It’s like a sport without sweating or the stinky smell of perspiration.
It is always great to “see” you.
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The same here. Your blog followers are terrific!
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#10! 😀
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Ha! I better make them over the weekend. 🙂
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I like the idea of wearing body armor. After 11 years in the Sierras you think moving to Florida I would have escaped the winds – ha! – how wrong was I in my way of thinking. Nothing more scary than a huge arse palm frond flying at your truck windshield while you are driving 55/60 mph or birds misdirected in their flying with a wind gust (pelicans are BIG). Always an Adventure and pretty much up for an Adventure each and every day! Happy Weekend – Be Safe – Take Care – Enjoy 🙂
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Be safe is right on! Ha!
I think those coconut projectiles would be extremely deadly too. Whoa! A palm frond stuck in your windshield wipers would be more than scary. Yikes!
Have a wild weekend too! Thanks, Renee!
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THAT IS TERRIFYING!!! I have to start looking above my head from now on for the silent menace lumbering over me! Thanks for the HEADS UP!
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Quite scary… But as you say Life can blow your mind away…. So, there is even a positive moral after all…
Sending best wishes, Aquileana 💗💕
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