Monday, April 10, 2006
Monday Memory: The Lady in the Road
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I was in high school, and my mom and I were driving up I-70 in a light rain. I don't remember where we had been, we must have been on our way home from an ordinary errand. We could tell there was a disturbance up ahead, and as we got closer it became obvious that there was a car on its roof on the side of the road. Mom saw and understood what had happened before I did, and I heard her say, "Ohhhhh Jennifer, don't look." There was a choking sound in her voice, and more than anything that caused me to look. It wasn't rebellion, I had just never heard her sound like that before and I acted without thought. We passed quickly, since the accident had just happened traffic hadn't had a chance to slow down yet. It didn't matter, I saw enough. The car was on the right hand side of the highway, and as we passed I was very near their upturned passenger window. The glass had shattered out into the road, and a woman was hanging upside down, caught in her seatbelt, partway out the window. Even though it seems gravity would make this impossible, her face and arm were white, like they were soap instead of skin. Her hair spread across the road, long enough that I worried we would drive on it. Even though everything else about the setting was dreadful, her brown hair was radiant, made beautiful by the rain and the shards of glass strewn through it. There's no way to know if she survived that crash or not. I still think about her, and wonder if the crash is a distant memory for her, or if she's still dealing with the effects of that accident. Maybe she's in a wheelchair? Maybe her back hurts before it rains? Or, maybe that was it for her, and she died hanging out the window of that broken car. Whenever I think about this, I am filled with warmth for my mom, for trying to keep me from seeing this, to keep me safe and protected. Links to other Monday Memories Auto Link yourself *if you're doing the Monday Memory*! Leave a comment, too, or I'll get all crabby! |
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Wow, what a vivid memory. I still the crashing and cruching of metal in my sleep from being in an auto accident. My MM is up.
My mom would always say "don't look" when I was young and we passed an accident, too. When I was older though, I do remember seeing some bad accidents. I was always thinkful I could at least pray for the people involved, even if I could do nothing else.
wow! I can clearly see the image you describe and I can understand why your mom wanted to sheild you from it
Wow Jen - you wrote that beautifully.....I can only imagine the imprint that has left on you based on your ability to recollect it....thanks so much for sharing
Why is it that we always seem to look when we go by accidents regardless if we're told not too. Thanks for coming by.
Man, for a minute I thought you'd been reading my notes. I had a similar experience years ago and it took a long time for me to feel safe again. I have since used that scene in a short story and a novel, but have never mentioned it in my blog. This was a very powerful memory.
Sounds like you have a great mom. I hope the lady in the road doesn't remember what happened or is a peace anyway.
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