A couple weeks ago at dusk I was driving home from seeing a
client (who had just put $75,000 in my hands to help insure their future). I
was feeling good and going about 55 mph on an open highway, when suddenly out
of nowhere, coming off a small side street to my right, a lady pulls
out right in front of me. I slam on the brakes and throw it hard to the
left (no one was coming). But I was going 55.
Big, big crash! My windshield shatters, both air bags fly out, my right axle is
broken, front end smashed, car is totaled. My car is immovable blocking both
sides of the road. Cars are stopped and lining up in both directions. People
are running up to my door. “Are you okay?”
“I think so,” I said, slowly moving around extricating myself. Not a scratch,
not a bruise (She didn’t get hurt either.) Without thinking I must have instinctively
folded back left into the seat. Police, firemen, ambulances were there before I
could even get out of the car as I searched around the floor for all the stuff
that had flown about everywhere.
They needed a tow truck to move my car out of the center of the road. He came
quickly. I tried to call my gal to come get me, but she was out and had left
her cell phone at home. The tow truck driver graciously drove me 25 minutes
home.
By then it was dark. I was alone. I jumped into our hot tub, looked up at the
stars and started reacting, wondering, thinking about how I was feeling. It all
happened so fast I never had a chance to be scared. Now here I was home alone,
unscratched and safe – surprised and grateful. And wondering why I was spared,
thinking maybe I was somehow protected and allowed to be here for a while
longer. Maybe there’s still something for me to do while I’m here.
I was driving my solid black 2006 Nissan Sentra with 156,000 miles on it,
but it was paid for and working good, an old friend. Because of its
years of faithful service I’d even had a little red and blue racing stripe
painted on it. Geico gave $4,500 for the car and a rental car while I shopped
around, I stumbled on a lovely white 2015 Kia Ultima with just 10,000
miles on it, marked down to $17,000. This is very cool, and I’m still surprised
and grateful.
I’ve been remembering some teachings from my Seal Team training;
Have a Plan Alpha, but always have a plan Bravo in case something is
blocking Plan Alpha.
No
matter what -- dead or live come back with your swim buddy, And …
Be prepared for anything.
