Where the divider failed

I was cruising at a languid sixty kmph on my motorcycle on a highway.

I was overtaken - from the wrong side, if I may add - by a girl on a moped with an engine more powerful than my bike’s. Somewhere down the line, she must have decided that the road divider looks more exciting than the road. And must have, without reducing her speed, tried to be friendly with it. The divider, partly due to being made of reinforced concrete or partly being in the sun for a long time or both, treated her friend request with usual stoicism.

It remained unmoved.

The girl, undaunted, flew head-over-heels over the said divider and landed on the other side of the road. Her helmet protected the road from serious damage; else the impact of her thick skull might have created a small crater.

Luckily, for her, there were no incoming vehicles in her direction.

I saw her flying and stopped my bike at a corner. I vaulted over to the other side and helped her to her feet. She peeled off her helmet as if it was the poor thing’s fault. She looked at the divider. Then she looked at me. Her face registered surprise more than shock. No, not because a guy helped her but, probably, because the divider was still standing there. Then she said, “I am sorry. I did not notice the divider” to me.

As if, I was its owner or related to it.

I helped her get back to the other side of the road. I dragged her injured moped to a corner, put it on the main stand and asked her if she was okay. Barring a few minor scratches, the girl was unhurt. With a small gash where the mopeds front mudguard hit it, the divider was also fine. The mudguard, however, will have scars to boast to its cronies at wherever mudguards meet to crib about their work.

I asked her if this road was new to her, she said no, she took it everyday to work. Only today she did not notice the divider. I asked her if she was in a position to ride to work, she said no, she will return home. She started her moped, did an about-turn and went the wrong way back.

Darwin was right, natural selection will definitely triumph.

Where the divider failed.