While walking downhill on Hyde Street toward the Powell-Hyde cable car, I stumbled (wasn't watching where I was putting my feet) and took a fall. My left knee got scraped, badly enough to bleed on my shorts, and the left leg and foot started sending me terse aides memoire to the effect that I really need to sit my ass down - or, better yet, lie down.

I ignored the delegation from the left leg and soldiered on to the cable car station, where I joined the line and waited while an itinerant musician regaled us with his guitar and vocal stylings.

Let me just say, as an aside, that the city's 'Clipper Card' system is both the bee's knees and the wasp's nipples. Put enough money on it, and you don't have to worry about carrying cash around to pay for the use of public transport.