a bad hit and run happened right in front of me just now on the bay bridge. it was raining and very windy, and so most everyone was driving slowly and responsibly. i'm in the middle lane, and there's a car immediately in front of me on my left. and then some idiot in a large white pickup comes out of nowhere in the far left lane. i remember thinking that perhaps pickups drive better in rain and i just didn't know about it. and the next instant, the pickup spins across all lanes of traffic, and slams into the driver's door of a tiny car in the far right lane. and then the pickup spins across all lanes of traffic again, and crashes into the railing on the far left. everyone comes to a halt. the pickup backs up out of the barrier, and speeds off! i couldn't believe it! as i start again and move past the car that was hit i see that its driver door is totally crumpled. and then i see someone else who's gotten out of his car and is running towards it. after five seconds or so it occurs to me that i should call 911, and so i do. and i get put on hold for over a minute! or maybe it was less. it was enough time for me to drive from about the middle of the span after the tunnel to the Van Ness exit, at 40mph. i told the 911 lady what i saw.

it was a night of near misses. in the maze before the toll plaza a general depression in the road created something of a lake, which was impossible to see. so i drove right into it, and totally hydroplaned. but that was good thing because it made me especially careful for the rest of the drive.

anyway, now that this is out of my system i can sleep for 5 hours. then it's off to Peru! my packing took 2 hours. i'm only taking bare essentials. and although it was a struggle, i decided not to bring any math books at all.