GOING HOME

 Paul and I were driving down the highway in Ohio after a wonderful visit with his brother, George, his sister-in-law, Leigh, and their beautiful children.  Leigh was pregnant again.  We had a fine time and hated to leave except that we were going home at last to start our new life together. Chatting and laughing, we sped down the highway toward Florida when suddenly everything changed. We heard a terrifying noise as another car crashed into ours and we turned over and over and over until at last we came to a stop in a ditch with the roof of our car on the ground and broken glass everywhere.  I was in shock and could not understand what had happened.*

                                           

     Paul was unhurt and climbed out the window.  I could hear Paul talking to me, but I couldn't understand what he was saying.  I heard sirens approaching. Someone was lifting me very gently and placing me on a stretcher. I was dimly aware that I was in pain and covered with broken glass. Blood was everywhere.  Paul was talking to me, telling     me not to worry; I would be all right.  

                                 

I remember nothing of the ambulance ride to the hospital; I barely recall the hospital. There was pain and blood and X rays. I kept saying my neck hurt. And my back.  I was given a pain shot followed by euphoria.  I smiled at Paul who looked stricken. I saw that he was talking to a doctor but I drifted off.

            

We went back to George and Leigh who graciously took us in.  Paul bought a new car and we drove to Sarasota.  My neck still hurt.  A couple of weeks later we received pictures taken by the ambulance people of the wrecked car, me being lifted out of it; Paul standing by looking anxious and a man in a suit who looked.....guilty.  Later we learned that it was he who crashed his brand new car into ours.  He wanted to see how fast it would go.  Apparently, pretty fast.

*These are not the real pictures of our crash.  Ours were much more frightening, but they have disappeared in the mists of time.  And my neck still hurts.