Day
16
Saturday,
July 7h
Based
on an automobile incident on I-64
Fatal
“What is that idiotic driver doing?”
Willard slowed to the speed limit as the car in front of in the left hand lane
refused to go over the speed limit while passing vehicles on the right. “Now
that car is going the speed limit.” His wife of forty years, Willie Mae,
soothed. “I don’t care, when in the passing lane you are supposed to pass. And
when another vehicle comes up behind you then you need to pick up your speed to
get out of their way.” Willard stayed close to the bumper of the car. “Will,
don’t be so impatient.” “Well Willie, the rules of the road are the rules of
the road.”
Suddenly the car in front of him tapped its
brakes. Willard knew this as the frustration of the driver of the other car
urging Willard to get off the bumper of their car. He refused. But the car didn’t
increase its speed as it passed the semi-truck trailer. “Willie, I’m going to
run that car off the road if it doesn’t get up and pass that truck.” “Will”,
Willie Mae placed her hand upon his arm, “Slow down and get off that bumper.”
Finally the car passed the semi. Willie stepped
on the gas pedal, swung into the right hand lane, even though the car had
signaled that it wanted over, and then, out of anger, swung his black Ford
pick-up truck tight in the path of the grey Toyota, nearly clipping the front
end of the Camry before swinging back into the right hand lane again. He placed
a smug smile on his face and looked into the rear view mirror.
The grey Toyota Camry had apparently
slammed on the brakes when he swung his truck in tight to the front end of the
car. As he watched in horror the Toyota was mid-flip and he counted three more
rolls before the car came to a stop on its hood off the right hand shoulder and
against the fence along the field. Willard pulled off the road and stopped the
truck. Willie, confused, watched Willard leap out of the truck and run back up
the interstate to the vehicle that he had just caused to flip. She got out and
ran after him.
He approached the driver’s side of the car,
a young girl lay unconscious in the seat, the deployed air bag hasn’t prevented
serious injury to the child. “Oh God, Willie, she’s just a young girl. She’s
probably a pretty inexperienced driver. Oh God Willie, what have I done?” Willie Mae was already on the cell phone
calling for emergency vehicles. Willard looked over to the passenger side of
the vehicle. A man whom he presumed to be the girl’s father also lay unconscious.
Willie opened the back door and a woman fell out of the car. “The girl’s mother
is dead Willard.” Willie Mae gasped as she inspected the woman’s broken neck.
Willard opened the back door on the driver’s side. A young man had received
life-threatening injuries. He heard the sirens approaching in the distance. “Willie
Mae, we have got to get out of here”, he heard himself say. “What? Willard
Howard Macinelly what on earth are you talking about?” “I can’t be caught here
with one dead and possibly more dying.” “Well you can’t run Willard. That will
be far worse. I am not going to let you just leave.”
Willard saw the fire truck coming towards
them followed by the police and paramedics. He ran for the truck. “Come on
Willie.” She stood but did not follow him. “I will report this Willard.” He
climbed in the truck, took one last look, and sped away. “Oh Willard,” Willie
said to no one in particular. “See what your anger has gone and done? Now not
only is it the death of these innocent folks but it will also be the death of
you.”
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