Don't Look!

So I hit a peacock on the way to work today. Yeah, the national bird of India. My bad.

But really, it hit me. I mean man, that thing can move. I was driving along, trying to anticipate the dizzying array of things that could go wrong while negotiating Delhi's roundabouts and crowded streets. I successfully navigated the people on bicycles, and I've gotten used to the shared understanding everyone here has about switching lanes on all turns. I used my horn before making any sudden movements (when it worked), and I didn't freak out when 3 cars came within 6 inches of me on all sides. I was feeling good. Maybe I wasn't the lead ballerina, but I was playing my role in the dance called Get to Work Alive.

Then that darn bird decided it was going to make a break for it. I don't know what "it" was, because there was nothing that interesting across the street. But it started trotting across the street, acting like it owned the place. Right as I saw it out of the corner of my eye, it decided to make a bee-line right for the spot directly in front of my car. Oy vey. And then it accelerated.

I swerved. I swerved into the oncoming traffic. But yeah, I bumped it. There was an explosion of feathers and one very surprised looking peacock suddenly going the other direction. And it flew! So perhaps it wasn't "bumped" too badly. I'm sure it's in shock somewhere today, telling a very different story to all its bird friends.

So yeah, I felt bad, but I didn't have much time to do so, because I was suddenly in the flow of traffic from the other side. One more swerve, though, and I was ok. I had a little taste of metal in my mouth. I drove on, and made it to work, and told no one. I hope this can be our secret. Sorry Mr. Peacock!