9.10.2009

Five years ago today. . . .


I'm sure you've heard me mention this story before. It's one of my standard quirky-things-about-me-that's-a-horrifying-yet-hilarious-anecdote-that-also-serves-as-a-great-ice-breaker-in-many-social-situations stories.

Five years ago on this exact day I hit a pedestrian. Yes, dear readers, I ran into a person with my car. You think I kid? Think again.

I was driving to school from seminary one bright fall morning, and I see this girl at the crosswalk right in front of the school. I slow down so she can cross, because believe it or not, I'm actually a courteous driver. This little blond girl looks both ways and doesn't move. It's one of those situations where I'm not actually stopped yet but am obviously slowing down so the person can cross the street. She just stands there, seeming to me to be waiting for me drive by.

So I accelerate.

Screech!!! Wham.

She woke up out of the coma three months later.

Just kidding.

But thankfully, that prosthetic leg is really working for her.

Just kidding, again.

She picked herself off the ground and her mom called 911. I was the more traumatized of the two; the paramedics and firemen were more concerned about my well being than hers, because I was freaking out, to say the least. I mean, I hit a person. Yeah, this happened just as everyone was pulling up to school in the morning. Yeah, the two or three police cars plus the ambulance plus the firetrucks backed up traffic to the nearest elementary school. But, you know, it all worked out.

I just nodded and gasped when people at school told me a girl had been hit, supposedly by a car going 60 miles an hour. The victim allegedly flew 30 feet into the air. Someone even saw a Flight-for-Life helicopter. But for real, the skid marks were there for at least a month.

You know that billboard on the right when you're going north on I-15? The one that says "Hitting a pedestrian changes your life"? I just laugh.

7 comments:

Shiny said...

Greatest. Story. Ever.
I remember that day vividly! I still get a good laugh about that morning:)

Jill said...

How traumatic!

tbone said...

ok. now I feel dumb, because you had me going on each of those "just kidding's". ps. happy b-day. I'm really bummed that I won't be able to make it to your party.

michelle said...

Well-told! I loved your just kiddings. And I love that you remember the anniversary of the day you hit a pedestrian. It would change your life!

Pamski said...

I kept looking for the helicopter!

Denise said...

I remember that day well, as I was getting ready to board a flight for PA later that day. I'm sure glad it's something we can laugh about now and that she wasn't hurt!

Marianne said...

Yikes! I had no idea!

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