October 16, 2022

Reflection

 STOPPING FOR ICE CREAM

Last night I drove back home to Annapolis from New Jersey.

I went up for a funeral of a little baby girl: Elizabeth Mary.

Then I decided to see if Al and Sylvia were home.  I had seen them near Elizabeth Mary's family at the funeral.

Heading down 301 I could see all the red lights ahead of me -  before I'd get to the Bay Bridge.

I come into a traffic jam,

I haven't been in one like this in years.

I smile - because most of the time I've been on the other side - going in a different direction.

We all stop.

It's 10:15 P.M.

I turn my motor off - with tractor trailer and trucks and cars - all doing the same thing.

Standing there on the highway - we all started talking to each other.  Truckers said it was a major, major accident way up ahead of us.

It's 11: 40 and trucks and cars start their engines and start to crawl forward.

As I got closer to the bridge there were still some police cars with lights flashing.

I had seen a few ambulances and tow trucks pulling cars on the opposite side.

Finally, we saw about 10 wrecked cars - and many police cars on the shoulders - with their lights on.

I'm sure we all prayed for those who were hurt here tonight.

I got home by 1 A.M. and was in bed by 2 A.M.

For some reason - looking back - I still see all kinds of us - having stopped for ice cream - at a D.Q. - licking ice cream - holding shakes - talking - talking - talking - thanking our lucky stars - for getting stuck at that spot - so close to ice cream - so close to a D.Q. that stayed open that night for the rest of us.

I had stopped for a D. Q. and a bathroom break - about a half hour before we hit that traffic jam.

Would I have been in that accident - if I hadn't stopped for that first ice cream - and bathroom break?

I did say a prayer when I started back home that night. Was it that - that saved me - or the ice cream?

I'll go with the ice cream.

Always get ice cream - when you're heading home - in the night.