so this is how it feels to narrowly escape death
Okay, so I was having a pretty good day. Dropped CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED in the mail to my editor this morning, which always puts a spring in my step, & then I was off to pick up my taxes. Well, you know...not exactly whistling my way to that, but it's okay. I knew it was coming, I do this every year, & it was an excuse to shop along the way. :-)
Oh, & at one of the stores, I fell in love with absolutely the most adorable little puppy I've ever seen. Part pug, part some kind of terrier...it was adopted from a local shelter, so who knows...but it was just the cutest thing. When I first pulled into the parking lot, he was outside, yanking a branch off a bush with his teeth. He got it loose, but it was about three times his size, & it was too funny to watch him trying to play fetch with it. As soon as I got out of the car...of course, I was already gushing & trying to devise ways of sneaking him into the car so I could take him home with me..he came running over, & it was off to the races.
What a wiggler! And a chewer! But totally adorable. I played with him for the longest time...& then I broke out in hives cuz I'm kind of allergic to other people's animals. I'd probably be allergic to my own, except I've worked up a tolerance. And it was totally worth it--both with my pets & the puppy today. I'm still working on a plan to abduct him. *vbg*
It was on the way home that I could have been killed. I still don't know exactly what happened, but a UPS truck was passing going in the other direction, & as it did, a great plume of smoke engulfed my car as it slammed on its breaks. And in the rearview mirror, I saw it swerving, cross traffic, & go right over into a rather steep ditch. I swear, those trucks are not very well balanced, because it toppled right over. And I think it might have had to slam on its breaks & swerve because another car was coming directly at it in the same lane...you know, the car had been trying to pass somebody else, then couldn't get back in its own lane quickly enough. I'm not positive, but that's my best guess from what I saw going on behind me.
It was scary, let me tell you. I pulled over immediately, even though I was well past the accident by the time it all unfolded, & called 911. Chances are, they got a lot of calls, because a lot of people started pulling over to help, but I wanted to make sure the police knew & an ambulance would get there as quickly as possible, if necessary.
Since the 911 operator took all of my information & I wasn't the best witness to what had happened, I didn't stick around much longer. I figured someone who had seen it happen in front of their eyes instead of behind them in the rearview & side mirrors would be able to give the police better information than I could. And if they still want to talk to me, they certainly know how to find me.
I just hope the driver of the UPS truck is okay. Like I said, I don't think those trucks are the safest vehicles on the road. I don't even know if they have seatbelts! Or if they do, do the drivers remember to put them on between stops? I'm praying for him, & hoping I can get more information about the accident from the news or the state police in the next few days.
But I'm telling you, if that truck had started to swerve even three seconds sooner, it would have hit me head-on & I'd probably be dead. I kid you not. It's also a blessing that the UPS truck didn't hit that other car head-on, either, or things could have been a lot worse than they were. That's provided the UPS driver is okay...& I'm praying hard that s/he is!
Oh, & at one of the stores, I fell in love with absolutely the most adorable little puppy I've ever seen. Part pug, part some kind of terrier...it was adopted from a local shelter, so who knows...but it was just the cutest thing. When I first pulled into the parking lot, he was outside, yanking a branch off a bush with his teeth. He got it loose, but it was about three times his size, & it was too funny to watch him trying to play fetch with it. As soon as I got out of the car...of course, I was already gushing & trying to devise ways of sneaking him into the car so I could take him home with me..he came running over, & it was off to the races.
What a wiggler! And a chewer! But totally adorable. I played with him for the longest time...& then I broke out in hives cuz I'm kind of allergic to other people's animals. I'd probably be allergic to my own, except I've worked up a tolerance. And it was totally worth it--both with my pets & the puppy today. I'm still working on a plan to abduct him. *vbg*
It was on the way home that I could have been killed. I still don't know exactly what happened, but a UPS truck was passing going in the other direction, & as it did, a great plume of smoke engulfed my car as it slammed on its breaks. And in the rearview mirror, I saw it swerving, cross traffic, & go right over into a rather steep ditch. I swear, those trucks are not very well balanced, because it toppled right over. And I think it might have had to slam on its breaks & swerve because another car was coming directly at it in the same lane...you know, the car had been trying to pass somebody else, then couldn't get back in its own lane quickly enough. I'm not positive, but that's my best guess from what I saw going on behind me.
It was scary, let me tell you. I pulled over immediately, even though I was well past the accident by the time it all unfolded, & called 911. Chances are, they got a lot of calls, because a lot of people started pulling over to help, but I wanted to make sure the police knew & an ambulance would get there as quickly as possible, if necessary.
Since the 911 operator took all of my information & I wasn't the best witness to what had happened, I didn't stick around much longer. I figured someone who had seen it happen in front of their eyes instead of behind them in the rearview & side mirrors would be able to give the police better information than I could. And if they still want to talk to me, they certainly know how to find me.
I just hope the driver of the UPS truck is okay. Like I said, I don't think those trucks are the safest vehicles on the road. I don't even know if they have seatbelts! Or if they do, do the drivers remember to put them on between stops? I'm praying for him, & hoping I can get more information about the accident from the news or the state police in the next few days.
But I'm telling you, if that truck had started to swerve even three seconds sooner, it would have hit me head-on & I'd probably be dead. I kid you not. It's also a blessing that the UPS truck didn't hit that other car head-on, either, or things could have been a lot worse than they were. That's provided the UPS driver is okay...& I'm praying hard that s/he is!
