Yesterday was a LONG day for Mr. III and I. We moved back home from Brenham, and I had my last final. We had left the night previous, because we had too much stuff for one trip, and came back in the morning. That's when it happened.
A trucker was on the right lane of a two-lane road, stalled out for whatever reason. An older lady, around 70 from what Mr. III told me, ended up driving into the back of it. Mr. III and I pulled over in front of the truck, and went to help. I grabbed the phone of the Trucker to call 911.
The car was tucked up underneath the carriage of the 18 wheeler, her face nearly to the back bumper. The car was completely totalled. While I was on the phone with the emergency crew, Mr. III talked with her, and told me what she said. She was bleeding from her hands, and I told the emergency crew she was conscious and talking. A mail carrier guy pulled over to help with wet wipes and a first aid kit, and told me she was stuck in the car, the dash was in her lap. Another man pulling a trailer pulled over and directed traffic. The only words I really heard from the trucker were "My cones are dead..." and "are you done with the phone?" while I was on the phone with 911. I was thoroughly unimpressed. The EMS, firefighters, and sheriffs came, and I handed the phone to the trucker. The sheriffs asked me with a few questions, and got my info, then let us leave for my final.
I think about her. She was all I could think about yesterday. Is she okay? Did they get her out? How is her family? I prayed for her peace.
I made sure I said God Bless to all those involved, feeling like it was as if I were saying it to those who had helped me in my car accident, and I feel like it gave me peace in some ways. I was able to give back to help someone, paying it forward for someone helping me.
I wish I could have talked to her, but was too busy on the phone with EMS. I was kind of scared to talk to her, as well. Would I look at myself, in some sick way? I didn't want to bring my car accident into the mix of things, so I kept my mouth shut and tried to help as much as possible.
So, I did my final, got the rest of our stuff, unpacked it, and drove the vehicle back to his Dad's house, then went home to rest. Since Brenham is two hours away from Austin, his dad was 45 minutes away from the place we're staying, and another 45 minutes from where we dropped off our stuff to his fathers house, you could see how it was a long day.
I totally got sick. Cold from HELL!
So, those who follow me, if you read this, answer this question: Have you ever had an experience that left you peaceful, because you "paid it forward"? Please share.
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Paying it forward:
ReplyDeleteMy best friend has been my best friend for years. We've known each other since we were in short pants and we've always been together. The eight years that i was gone was hell because i felt like i was missing a part of my life. She has always been there for me. Through thick and through thin, no matter what the cause. I know that if there is ever an empty spot in my life, that she'll be there to tell me that i will never suffer anything alone.
So i decided to do something for her that would blow her away to show her how much she really means to me.
I didn't spare any expense and i paid for her to fly to Hawaii so that she could ride the carrier back with me to San Diego at the end of my last cruise. I got us a hotel on Waikiki Beach, i rented us a kick ass mustang, and i reserved a good bed for her on the ship and i paid for her plane ticket back to Texas from San Diego.
We, of course, had a blast! 2 days in Hawaii with my best friend then a week on the ship. She really had a great time up on the flight deck and roaming the vast expanse of our ship. And in the end, she paid it forward to me as well. I've been out to sea a lot (a lot more than i'd care to admit) and not once has anyone ever been there to meet me at the pier. Well, she did one better and stepped off the boat with me. That day, i felt like we could take anything that life had to throw at me. And life has thrown several things at me over the years. And every time, there she is.
I couldn't have asked for a better friend.