It CAN Happen to You

Snow was falling and it was bitter cold that night as Ron and I walked back across the conference center parking lot to where my truck is parked. From the looks of the ice and snow the pickup is buried under we are going to need a pick-axe and some dynamite to get it cleared off enough so we can leave.

"Want me to drive?" Ron asks as we both bust out the ice scrapers and start chiseling away as the engine warms. "You look kinda tired."

"Nah, I'm good." I reply. It's not that I don't trust Ron's driving or anything like that, I am not territorial or possessive really, I just honestly didn't feel that tired at the time. We drive a lot for a living, it's not even an issue.

Once the truck was found again and heated, we departed for home which in this weather was about an hour away thru the canyons and out of the mountains. As we go Ron and I talk about the conference we were just at, then he drifts off to sleep. The man can sleep anytime anywhere, even while I navigate these super winding roads.
Turning on some music I keep company with myself and head back for home.

The roads were not bad but it was late. Coming into town again I remember seeing the stoplight ahead as I came up. I remember watching the red light and watching and watching... my mind was just not registering anymore. Maybe I was thinking I was driving the ambulance and an opticon would turn it green. I'm not sure. I do remember my foot never letting up on the gas though, it never made a move for the brake until I had crossed midway thru the intersection. When the red lights passed thru my peripheral vision, when they passed over the cab and quickly disappeared behind me, thats when the realization set in.

Dropping the truck out of gear and I let it coast to the shoulder, looking back thru the rearview and seeing two cars cross the intersection I just blew thru. My hands shake. The light returns to green, and all is quiet again. I had half expected a patrol car to materialize behing me and flip on its lights, but no such thing happened. Nothing at all. My hands were still shaking yet as I put the truck back in gear and got back on the road.

Ron woked up not far from my house, giveing a long stretch. "Almost home," he says between yawns. "Almost not," echos in my mind but I leave it unsaid. Ron picks up conversation where we left off, and I can see him watching my shaking hands out of the corner of his eye. "You okay Rox?" he finally asks. I just nod my head and turn my truck up into my driveway.

Going inside Ron dumps his things onto my couch, which will be his bed tonight as he has shift coming up in just a couple hours, making him driving down to where he lived pretty pointless. While he gets ready for bed I pour myself a strong drink and head for the bathroom where I close the door and take a seat on the edge of the tub. My stomach is still pretty upset about the whole close call, and its threatening me, making me sick as a dog. I kick on the faucets in an attempt to divert the all to familiar sound, but it does not do the trick. Ron does not bother knocking, he just lets himself in and sits on the edge of the tub with me.

"So whats going on? You weren't sick earlier..."
The answer I nearly give him makes my stomach wrench again and I get sick again. Ron finds a rag to fill with cold water and lay on my neck as he sits and strokes my back.
"I almost killed us tonight Ron. I almost got us killed..." I relate to him the story of what I had done. "I never even slowed down..."

"It was an accident. Those things happen. You need to calm down Rox we are safe, its fine. No harm was done."

This did not soothe me, but the warm glass of brandy did. Ron built a fire in the hearth and we sat there for a while talking. Ron is a good friend, talks about things differently than others, he is a plain no nonsense kind of guy. We talk and tell stories until my melancholy has passed and I get up to go to bed.

Accidents can happen to anyone anywhere. Doesn't matter how tired or awake you are, or how much you drive, it can strike anyone at any time. Next time you get the drowsies while driving, do us all a favor. Pull over for a minute, drive with the windows open, find something that wakes you up and gets your full attention. Take care out on the road and take it from me, these things can happen to you too.