The Car Accident - What Just Happened?

The fire is beautiful as the flames reach up to the stars. Sit close to me.

It was December 15th, 2014, and I was on my way to work. Monday mornings were always bad as the traffic was heavier than the other weekdays. I was about fifteen to twenty minutes into my one hour commute. I was coming up to an intersection that was always a problem because at the light a private high school was on the left. There was a very long left turn lane but the cars still backed up into the next lane over. Even though the light was green, I was forced to slow down and stop. Checking my right side mirror, I saw that traffic was coming too thick and fast for me to merge so I resigned myself to wait it out.

I remember checking my rear view mirror and wondering why the woman behind me was trying to merge into the constant flow of traffic. Before I blanked out I watched the dashboard jiggle in my frame of vision. After that, my next memory is thinking I must have been hit. Why am I just sitting here? I need to get out of the car and look at the damage.

I opened my door and getting out saw behind me two cars and one pickup truck, in that order. Everyone was already talking on their cell phones. I wondered again how long had I been sitting in my car and why were the others so far ahead of me?

I walked around to the back of my car and nothing looked damaged. For a brief second I was elated. Then I walked around to the right side of my car and my elation turned into misery. My beloved Taurus' back right tire was at a 45 degree angle turned into the body of the car. The right rear panel was dinged up. I was not going to drive the car away from this accident. I also thought the damage was a death knell and I would have to buy a new car. Now I was wondering why my air bag hadn't deployed.

I think it was about this time I realized the car was still running so I got in and turned it off. Every action I was taking was an effort. I knew I was all jumbled up and pushed myself to get clear thinking. Phone. I had to call someone. Who do I call? I couldn't think straight.

For whatever reason, and I don't know why I thought it, I knew no one had called the police so I did. I tried to communicate the best I could to the 911 dispatcher where the accident was and how many cars were involved. She asked if anyone needed an ambulance. I called out to the three others her question and they answered that they didn't.

Obediently, I stayed on the phone with the dispatcher until I heard the sirens.

Are you warm enough? It feels good to get this off my chest.