Wow... That Was Close

So I am on my home from Metro-Detroit. I took a personal day to do some business. Well I was on my way home and I am driving north on Lapeer Road. I am just south of Metamora when a car driving the other way hits a patch of ice. That car then slammed into the car in front of me. After slamming into that car it was coming straight towards me. I thought I was toast. Of course all I can think was oh my word I have thousands of dollars of video equipment in the car, I can't be in an accident. Well only by the grace of God I wasn't. The car came within inches of slamming into me too. There wasn't much I could do but slam on the brakes, think about the video equipment and and say a little pray, in that order. I feel really lucky to come out without a scratch. Once I came to a stop, I found my purse that had flown to the floor, found my cellphone surprisingly fast (anyone that knows me, knows that is a feet), I called 911. I probably had the worse 911 call ever in the history of 911 calls.

It went something like this:

Operator: 911 what's your emergency?
Me: There has been a car accident.
Operator: Where are you?
Me: On Lapeer Rd..
Operator: Where on Lapeer Rd.
Me: I don't know, south of Metamora. I am on a cell phone. Please hurry people are hurt.
Operator: are there any landmarks?
Me: a big house, please hurry, a woman is hurt, I think she is trapped. Hurry.....
(I am not sure how it ended, I think she told me help was on the way.)

Yes, if there were a 911 call school this would be what not to do. So I go to the woman, who seems to be coming back into consciousness. I tell her help is on the way, however her car is still running, I say can you turn the car off. She says no. I don't know what to do. Meanwhile a gaggle of other people come to help, thank God, because I am shaking, almost hyperventilating and clearly I am no help. Now she is coming back too. Meanwhile people are trying to pry the door open in order to get her out, because we are afraid that the car might catch on fire since it won't turn off. We are about to break the window open, when she manges to turn off the car with her other hand. The reason she couldn't turn of the car was because her wrist was broken. It looked so painful. She calls her son. I run and get Bruce's coat from the car because she is getting cold. She was probably in shock, because she isn't crying or freaking out, like me, ok, I wasn't crying but I definitely had the freaking out market cornered.

The first police officer arrived in a couple minutes. She was a female and very nice. She was so cool and collected. Unlike, well yours truly. I am not sure how the other people in the other car were, I went right to the woman. They were tended too, by another person. Soon there were probably 5 or 6 ambulances, 4+ firetrucks and both Metamora Police and the Lapeer County Sheriff's department. I was still, well freaked out. So I just stood around and watched them work. That's when I snapped this photo. The emergency crews were so amazing, they asked me a million times if I was in the accident and if I was ok. I was like yes I am fine, I was just the near miss. I gave the police officer my best recollection of the story, which I already gave you. After all the ambulances left, the police helped me maneuver my car out of the gaggle of firetrucks to go north. During this whole ordeal they closed down the road.

So I got home, let the dog out, who had been crossing her legs waiting for me to get home. I then went to the party store to buy my Mega-millions ticket-- $275 million baby and it appears that I am lucky today, maybe good luck will strike twice. I told Karen, our party store manager, the story, she didn't appear to care at all, however it was one of those stories that you just have to tell, I told Bruce, my mom and dad, but I wanted that "oh my God" facial reaction. Well that didn't happen. Surprised? No not really. But I bought some Cranberry Mike's Hard Lemonade, Cheetos and Mega Millions tickets and came home to relax and settle in for the night. I just got a call from the friendly police officer, I told her I came home had a couple drinks and I am now much more relaxed. But I made it clear, I am home for the night. She laughed. It felt rewarding, you know bringing laughter to a hero.. ha ha. Yes I know enough already.

But back to all seriousness, I am still picturing the accident. I know the woman could care less, but I am thinking about her and hoping everything is ok. Needless to say it was a scary night and I am glad to be home.