Years ago, I was in Amsterdam with one of my friends, Jen. We’d smoked pot that day. Try not to be upset about this. In Amsterdam, that’s what people have for breakfast with their Pannenkoeken.

While walking through the city, I tripped and fell for absolutely no reason. After I fell, I lay on the ground for a moment in shock. I wasn’t hurt or anything, I was just surprised. My shoes were tied, the pavement was smooth, and I hadn’t been wildly weaving or jumping around or even walking very quickly. And yes, I was a little high, but not in a way that would have led to forgetting how to walk. There was really no excuse at all for me not to be upright. I looked up from the ground and said, “Jen! Gah! What if, someday, I become one of those people who jus…