I almost got hit by a car

In early June, while visiting my parents in a small town in the interior of Brazil, I decided to skip the gym and make a quick run to the pharmacy — the first signs of a migraine had set in, and that’s the best time to take something before it gets worse. The nearest pharmacy is about 1,5 km (a mile) away. I laced up my running shoes to make it worth the trip: a light walk to pick up the medicine. On the way back, I decided to change my route and loop through a small square where, when I used to live there, I’d often go for walks. Almost back at my parents’ house, I crossed a busy avenue without incident. On the other side, I had a momentary lapse and assumed the cross street was one-way. (It actually is — but only on the other side of the avenue.) I looked one way, saw no cars or motorcycles, and stepped out. Halfway across, I heard a loud crash. I looked the other way and saw a small pickup truck less than a meter (three feet) from me. I came within inches of being hit. The crash…