Friday, March 09, 2007

two minutes

Monday night about 9:30, Betsy and I were driving home from Wal-Mart. She had been working out at the gym and I was at the library downtown. Unknowingly, we both stopped by Wal-Mart on our way home and bumped into each other.

We finished grocery shopping together, checked out and then left for home. Since I was voted the one to load the bags in my car...I was about two minutes behind her.

As I pulled out, my phone rang and it was Betsy. She apparently missed me greatly and wanted to talk on our way home. So we began to chat. Within a few minutes, the conversation turned into a heated discussion about the capabilities of airport x-ray machines.

Then, as I was turning on to the small two lane road that, in 5 miles, will lead to home, I heard Betsy scream, tires squeal and...then nothing. Her phone was dead.

I called her back...it went straight to voice mail. I called again, same thing.

Two minutes.

I came over a small hill and saw her car laying face down in a ditch. As I pulled off the side of the road, I had no idea what I was going to find inside. Another driver stopped and as we both got out, asked me, "Is someone in there?" (which, by the way, is an incredibly stupid question, "You know...I don't know, cause sometimes those darn things will just flip over all on their own, won't they?...here's your sign."). "Yes, some one is there...my wife."

I bent down, and looked into the front passenger side window and saw Betsy. Smiling. And waving.

Thankfully, she was wearing her seat belt. Had she not been...well, who knows. But she was and because of it, all she walked away with were some bumps, some bruises and the tiniest scratch I've ever seen on her forehead.

Those two minutes of my life were definitely not my favorite two minutes. She is incredibly sore and moving slowly, but she is okay and I am so glad.

I am also glad that our last conversation ever wasn't about airport x-ray machines.

Yesterday, we went to the wreckers to get all of her personal belongings out of the car. Geico declared the car totaled, wrote us a check and became the proud owners of a slightly used 2000 Pontiac Grand Am.

Here are some pics...













3 comments:

Anonymous said...

From Badpacifist
I found you after a click from the secret blog of Chris Sligh American Idol contestant

Everybody felt it.... a moment of eerie silence...........a low rumble and then the ground began to shake.
Buildings swayed and buckled and then collapsed like a house of cards. Less than 4 minutes later over 30,000 were dead from an 8.2 earthquake that rocked and nearly flattened Armenia in 1989.
In the muddled chaos a distressed father bolted through the winding streets leading to the school where his son had gone earlier that morning.
The man could not stop thinking about the promise he had given his son many times.
"No matter what happens Armand, I'll always be there."
Well he reached the site where his sons school had been but saw only a pile of rubble. He just stood there at first fighting back tears....and then took off stumbling over debris running toward the east corner where he knew his sons classroom had been.
With nothing but his bare hands he started digging, desperately pulling bricks and pieces of wall plaster. While others just stood by watching in forlorn disbelief, he even heard someone growl, "Forget it mister they're all dead" He looked up flustered and replied, " You can grumble or you can help me lift these bricks" but only a few pitched in, and most of them gave up once their muscles began to ache.
But the man couldn't stop thinking about his son, so he kept digging and digging....... for hours and hours.
12 hours went by..... 18 hours..... 24 hours..... 36 hours......... and finally into the 38th hour he heard a muffled groan from under a piece of wallboard. The man grabbed the board, pulled it back and cried, "Armand!" and from the darkness came a slight, shaking voice, "Papa?"
Other weak voices began calling out as the young survivors stirred beneath the still uncleared rubble. Gasps and shouts of bewildered relief came from a few onlookers and parents who remained.
They found 14 of the 33 students still alive. When Armand finally emerged he tried to help dig until all his surviving classmates were out. Everybody standing there heard him as he turned to his friends and said, "See I told you my father wouldn't forget us."
We have a Father like that....-

Dr. Scott Hahn ….from his book "A Father who keeps His promises."

Anonymous said...

Wow, that doesn't look good. Glad you are alright Betsy!

Reminds me of a time, long ago, on a dark and winding road...on a night just like tonight. Good thing we were wearing our seat belts then too.

Jeff

bill said...

you are right, jeff. that was a good thing we were wearing our seat belts...especially you.