The Universe Speaks

It was a beautiful day, today.

No.  Really.

Gorgeous late-spring-feels-like-early-summer low 80's kind of sunshiny, happy day.

I planned to go on a bike ride with my son when I got everybody home.

In fact, I was on my way home from work to do just that.

I drive Pioneer Crossing to get to and from work.  It is a high traffic main artery connecting the more urban East side of the valley (where I live) to the more rural/suburban West side of the valley (where I work).  It is a 50 mph road.

And I was driving 50 mph.

There are light controlled intersections slicing through Pioneer Crossing every 4 blocks or so, keeping Lehi city residents from being cut off by the flow of massive traffic along the corridor.  As I approached the intersection at 500 W, I started to coast because there was a red light ahead... but I was glad that there were no cars at it because I am one of those people.  You know, the ones that like to be first off the light when it turns green.  However, the light changed to green before I could even apply the brakes, so I was still going 50 mph when the first minivan shot the gap and turned left in front of me onto the side street.

Then the second minivan tried to turn left...

RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!?"  I shouted as I stomped on the brakes.   (Yes, I really did self censor in the moment.  Aren't you proud of me?)

You know that noise they use in the movies?  That hellish screeching sound?  My brakes made that sound for what seemed like an eternity... and I KNEW this crash was inevitable.

So many thoughts raced through my head in that moment.  'I'm going too fast!',  'Oh, why can't I stop?!', 'This is really, really bad!', 'What if she (all minivan driver's are "she", sorry guys) gets hurt or killed?!?', 'What if there are children in there?!?', 'Oh please let there be no children!', 'I'll be late to pick up the kids, now', 'This car is already totalled, what's gonna happen with insurance?' (yup, even the more mundane and slightly selfish thoughts push through)', 'Oh my gosh, there is another car careening through that field!'

That last thought registered moments after impact, as my peripheral vision saw a white Trailblazer plow down a wooden barbed wire fence post (the thick, nice, new kind that can do a lot of damage to a car) and go careening off into a fallow field.

You see, I had been in the left lane.  The Trailblazer was on my flank in the right lane and had been side swiped by the momentum of my collision and pushed off the road!

Not a single thought had been about my own mortality or that I might get hurt.  Okay, a little 'Why me?!?' thought might have snuck in.

Oooh!  I just realized!  I AM SO GRATEFUL THERE WAS NO ONE RIGHT BEHIND ME!  That would have been super bad.  Beyond what was already going on.

Six months ago, I was rear ended by someone in that same car.

Six months ago, I could tell you exactly what my body did in that collision.  I really don't know what my body did this time.  I was so focused on what was going on outside of my car (metal car parts flying everywhere, other cars dodging to avoid a pile up, that unfortunate Trailblazer off in the field) that I really had no sense of what was happening inside my own car.  Only after the fact did I fish my phone off the floor to call 911, and much later discovered my computer on the floor of the passenger side (no damage, phew!).  And that poor plant the PTA gave me today for Teacher Appreciation?  I'm not sure it will survive the trauma of being dumped upside down in the back seat.

Thankfully, everyone walked away.  I am so grateful for that!  The Trailblazer in the field was being driven by a young mother who had her two little girls in the car with her.  The minivan was an Odyssey Touring and the driver (truly a 'she') didn't have any passengers.  Good thing, because I hit her passenger side hard enough for her air bags to deploy.  Mine didn't.  Hmmm.  Two accidents in 6 months w/out air bags.  I'm thinkin' they are defective?

After calling 911 and verifying that everyone was 'OK' (not dying), I text-ed Helena to warn her and Will that I would be late picking them up from school.  They ended up finding a ride home (shout out and a great big THANK YOU to Alec Taylor for driving them home!).  While on the phone, I thought I heard someone shout out my name!  It turns out that my sis-in-law, Deanna, drove by at that moment and saw me!  She started texting me right away to see if I was okay.

It took forever to talk to the police, fill out the paperwork, and wait for the tow truck to come.  All three vehicles got towed away, mine last of all, because at first I thought I'd just drive it home...

...Because it was STILL DRIVABLE!  Man!  That car should have been in a crash up derby!  It's like the Energizer bunny, it just keeps going, and going, and going...

But the policeman recommended against it, saying the air bag could deploy at any moment (unlikely), or there may be damage to the radiator or hood latch (more likely).  The tow truck driver was kind enough to drive me home and on the way we discovered that he grew up with and knew my husband's nephews.  I swear!  I can always find some connection with everyone I meet!

Anyways, there you have it.  The universe is speaking to me.  It has spoken twice, now.  I am not supposed to be the owner of a white Oldsmobile Alero.  I need to let it go and go find the car I'm supposed to be driving.

Wish me luck.

P.S.  My head, neck, and shoulders are starting to bother me.  I'd best go see the doctor tomorrow.  Boo.

P.P.S.  My car doesn't look all that bad for such a traumatic incident.  You wouldn't know from looking at this that it ripped a side panel clean off a minivan, would you?