I had just gotten a new pair of roller skates for my birthday. I couldn't wait to glide gracefully down the streets of my suburban neighborhood, "Everyone must be looking at me from their windows", I thought. I was 10 years old at the time, and quite the tomboy. I had dark hair with the bowl-cut hairstyle; this was popular for boys my age. I wore large sports T-shirts and baggy shorts with extremely dirty sneakers. I thought I was so cool. Everyone would know now for sure when I arrived at their door with the most fabulous pair of skates.
It was a beautiful Saturday morning in mid-autumn and I was sitting on my porch tying up my skates. No kids were out yet, and I was going out to wake them up. After my skates were on tight, I looked out into the street, confident that I was the best skater. Across the street I saw Billy's dad working on something in his garage. Billy was a tall, chunky kid who lived directly across from my house. His mom and dad were both deaf. The neighborhood kids were fascinated with this, and always asking Billy if he ever cussed out his parents when they turned their backs, and things like that. .
Other than Billy's dad, nobody seemed to be out. It was a troubling thought, that nobody would be watching me skate. Stopping what they were doing to gaze in awe, at the child who skated like a star. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind, and started down the top of my driveway. I was still looking around for signs of life, not paying attention to my feet, when it happened. All of the sudden I was airborne; I could see only the blue morning sky. I felt a hard thump on my rear, an aching in my back. A gust of air escaped from my mouth, I could feel the burning of my hands, being scraped on the concrete. I leaned upward to take a breath, and a sharp fear pierced through my lungs up into my brain. I couldn't breathe. This was it, I thought. I am dying.
Lying on my driveway in moderate pain, I screamed for help with all my strength.