Cam Novak: 2009

Sunday, October 4, 2009

accident: Story part 3

So I roll up to the ambulance and CLUNK, CLANK, CLAK, I get raised up into the back. I am followed by one of the officers and she says goodbye to the ambulance worker. She turns around and it hits me. She interrogated the man in the Honda but did not ask me my side of the story.

"Ummm, excuse me, aren't you going to ask me my side of the story?"

She stops and sits on the bench inside the ambulance and says,
"You were coming from the south, he was coming from the north and made a left turn. You collided with the rear passenger door."

I agreed and she left.
My phone continued to ring in my pocket so i asked the ambulance worker to take it out and place it in my hand. I was strapped down so could not raise it up to my ear or even flip it open . I started to shoot the shit with the ambulance worker and I told him that I was a bike messenger and I had my own business and that I was on my way to Laval to drop a call before the day started downtown. He was generally interested and was impressed with my job. It felt like time was going by really slowly. I could not tell what street we were on. As far as I knew, we were going to the general hospital, so i was a little bit surprised when we arrived at Jean Talon Hospital.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Injuries

Accident: Story part 2

So I was sitting there with a nice crowd of people around me. A few passers by had their opinions on the situation and were making them heard. One of those opinions was to summon a cop car parked in the nearby gas station, but before we had a chance to, it started its engine and left. Driving right past us. Everyone at the scene was completely in awe. My emotions were going crazy by this time. I started to feel really sad, down and afraid about what was going to happen next. I began to cry. This was no ordinary crying. No, this was the type of crying that looks forced and aggressive. It was completely uncontrollable for about 2 minutes. A short while after my crying fit, a fire engine arrived. It was obvious that the women at the other end of the phone didn't understand the situation at hand. Firemen descended their big red truck and proceeded to put a neck brace on me. Quickly afterword, the police car that had left the scene, came back. Once again, I was in complete awe. I think that I was the only one to get a look at the officers as they fled the scene because it seemed I was alone in feeling this. They were two female officers who were very friendly and seemed generally concerned with my well being. This experience differed from my other encounters with police. Finally, the one vehicle that was needed showed up. The ambulance pulled up onto the sidewalk and two hefty men descended. They approached me and asked where the pain was. I showed them the bump in my hand and I told them my shoulder was hurting.In thick Quebecois french they asked if i had any pain in my neck or head.

Cam
"No, my neck feels fine and so does my head."
Ambulance worker
" Can you tell me what day it is and where you are?"
C
"Yes, August 20th, we are in Montreal Quebec on Acadie street."
A.W.
"Okay, we are going to immobilize you please stand up."

Before I entered the ambulance I wanted to make sure that my bike wasn't going to be left on the sidewalk. The officers offered to bring it to the station. Initially i said no, but i quickly changed my mind considering the situation.

The ambulance workers took out the spine board and asked me to lay down on it. They strapped me down to the board and then lifted me up onto the stretcher.

"1, 2, 3 heuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
Click, click,click. I herd more straps being tightened and fastened. While this was happening i felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I guess the messages i left on my client's and girl friend's voice mail weren't the best idea. The officers had finished interrogating the man in the Honda and he approached my stretcher. My injured hand was resting on my stomach and presumably in an act of affection and concern, the man tapped my hand while saying "Good luck buddy."

Extreme rage and pure anger entered my body. I screamed at the top of my lungs,
" Fuck, fuck you! Ahhhhhhh fuck, jesus christ!"

I wanted to get in the ambulance asap.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Accident: Story part 1

August 20 was the date of the event. I was heading northbound on Acadie BLVD and I approached Jarry. I was going approxamitly 25-30 KM/hr. It was 8:30 am and i was on my way to Laval for a 35$ call. The sun was shinning, my insides felt great. I was totally in the zone and ready to take on the day.
As I approached the intersection, i saw a clear path. Everything was completely still so i proceeded to go through. About 5 feet (give or take) after the large white bar indicating where to stop, a car (southbound) began a left turn. I noticed this and immediately read the body language of the SUV. It seemed that he had noticed me and was going to wait for me go through to the other side. I continued full tilt increasing my speed to not hold him up. He noticed me and proceeded to finish his turn in a very half assed manner. He stopped right in my path. He seemed to have changed his mind. I thought to myself, in a split second while hurtling towards mister "Honda SUV", " Oh shit, this is going to suck."
I collided. I first felt the crunch of my front rack against the rear passenger door. The weight of my body crumpled the integrity of the door. I turned my body to the right and pushed the left side of my body against the upper part of the door. My head wiped like pennies in a sock and hit the window. I heard the "clunk" of the helmet against the plastified window. Now began my trip down. My feet clipped out while i was colliding with the vehicle so my bike was now a separate entity than me. I put my right hand out to stop myself but it quickly buckled under my weight. I fell on my back firmly while once again throwing my head back , but now against the concrete street. As soon as all parts of my body hit the ground i immediately ross into a sitting position with my legs bent with my arms draped over my knees. I felt alright. In shock, but alright. I said to myself "Oh shit, that sucked." I herd my U-lock, which had been neatly in my back pocket, slide across the intersection hitting the cement median.

The man in the Honda Suv got out and came to where i was positioned. " Why were you going so fast!? You were going way too fast!? Look at my car!"
I said in a very stern loud voice "Fuck you, give me one second you fuck! I just ran into the side of your car. Fuck!"
A cyclist came to my aid and asked if I was alright. I thought i was. I felt fine. I stood up, walked my bike over to a cement block at the gas station on the corner then sat down. I looked at my hand and saw what seemed like an orange implanted under my skin. My hand was swollen, Everything wasn't alright. People began to gather and give their opinions. The shock began to set in. I felt scared and sweaty. Then, all of a sudden, as if a switch was turned, i felt my whole body throbbing with pain. My shoulder ached and stabbed like nothing I had ever felt. I was definitly not okay. It became clear to me that an ambulance should be called. I first called, Mat, then Paul, Christina, then my clients to tell them that I was on my way to a hospital. I then called an ambulance.

Cam- "Yes, Hi, i just got into an accident. Im on a bike and i collided with a vehicle."
911- "Okay where are you?"
C-"Acadie and Jarry."
911-"Sir an ambulance is on its way, can you tell me what your injuries are?'
c-" My shoulder and my hand hurt, i'm swelling up."
911" Was anyone in the car Hurt? Was anyone thrown from the vehicle?"
C-" No, lady. I'm on a bike, and i collided with an SUV."
911-"Okay, sir, is there any liquids leaking from the Vehicle?"
C-"No, lady, for fuck sakes, i'm a cyclist and i hit a car! Do you not understand that?!"
911-Okay so police and ambulance will there shortly, meanwhile stay seated and don't move your neck."
C-"Thank you, i apologize for snapping but for christ's sake, you should understand the situation."

......
Part 2 soon

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Free Art Party:More Photos

More photos!

Free Art Party

So yesterday i invited a bunch of people over to take some of my work. It was a really great experience. A lot of people came and walked away with works that they will hang with pride. I think it was really important to give away the work from the past if someone could enjoy it. Both my room mate an I felt great getting rid of work that was only collecting cob webs.
Here are the results!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

So,
Unrest in in my mind and i think decisions must be taken in the near future. I have to "clear the field" of confusion and let myself take the path that is being set for me. The confusion is self inflicted and i need to stop being so fuzzy about important things in my life. I know that if I commit to something i will do well in it, so i need to cut the crap and fucking giver'. I have had several of these moments in my life where I feel i need to kick myself in the ass but for some weird reason i think that this time things are so simple and set that i will be kicking myself for not kicking myself now. Get it?

So here's to coming months, where things will be black and white and grey will only exist in my life when i pass a BIXI.

Goodnight, and hello July 17th.