I’ve always been a strong driver and have logged hundreds of thousands of kilometers in my life due to the transient nature of my railroad career. The years I lived in northern BC I averaged 75,000 kms per year travelling from bunkhouse to bunkhouse chasing my seniority number.
For two straight years I drove from PG to Mackenzie and back every day to work a yard engine job switching the mills. This was in the years before satellite radio and I soon exhausted the CD collection, so I got a city library card and listened to every book on tape I could find; eventually the drive became so routine that I began to read actual books while I drove to stem the boredom. More times than I can recall, I would head out on the drive north in the dead of winter only to come across a police roadblock for a closed highway. I would show them my engineer’s license and they would wish me good luck and wave me through.
In all my years in BC I never had an accident and eventually reached the highest levels of ICBC’s rate discounts and driver rating. I took great pride in my ability and always took care to drive a good vehicle in excellent repair.
My heavy drinking began to take its toll on me in ways I could recognize but in many ways I couldn’t as well. I would wake up each morning in denial, telling myself that because I wasn’t vomiting or suffering from a headache that I must not be hungover; but the truth is I was a zombie at best, and still likely drunk at worst.
My new sales job in Edmonton required me to drive all day to all parts of the city, and the heavy traffic and numerous construction zones required more of me than I was able to offer in this shape. It was absolutely inevitable that my luck was going to change, but I was unprepared for just how much.
My first accident occurred in October 2006 and was innocent enough, I was stopped behind a vehicle trying to exit in front of me when a pickup with an overload couldn’t stop in time and smashed into me from behind. My vehicle was destroyed and I was relatively seriously injured, but there were no broken bones and I thought if this was the worst that could happen I would be alright.
One week later I was driving Angela’s car while we waited for a replacement for mine, and in wet and slippery conditions I slid through a stop sign and collided with another car trying to turn left across my lane. I wasn’t hurt in this accident as far as I could tell and we joked about things happening in threes.
Two weeks later I was driving our new rental car on the west end of the Anthony Henday when a deer bolted out from the trees and slammed into the side of my car, tearing off the side mirror. Again I wasn’t seriously injured and since my bad streak should have come to an end now, I breathed a sigh of relief and moved on.
March 20, 2008 was typical of most work days for me now. I booked all of my appointments between 10am and 3pm, with an eye to heading to the pub as soon as possible after. The day changed though when my afternoon appointment ran long and a late call came in for an ASAP meeting shortly after that kept me from the pub after all.
The Oilers were on TV that night so I decided I would head home, stopping to get dinner and a bottle on the way. I pulled on to the Henday and headed west on the south leg, turning up the radio to listen to the first period. I was sober but tired and was looking forward to finding my couch and settling in, when I noticed a black pickup racing up behind me, then pulling into the left lane to pass me. As we approached the 111th Avenue overpass the truck suddenly slammed on the brakes and pulled across both lanes in front of me…
I never had a chance to even consider braking. I tore into the pickup’s box and ripped it from the frame. My Jeep SUV folded into an accordion, and the airbags knocked me unconscious.
I don’t know how long I was out but when I came to I was confused, why couldn’t I hear the hockey game?? I reached to try and turn up the silent radio when I noticed a terrified woman who burst into tears as she leaned in the passenger side of my dead vehicle…
”You’re alive!! Don’t move, the ambulance is here!!!”
“Simple Song” Avail
Going over in my head what seems like everything,
Remembering commitments that nowadays just blend,
I don't know where I'm going and I don't think that I care,
I had my taste wound up misplaced bounced off those troubles clear.
Did I trip myself up again?
Did I see more than you did?
Did I trip myself up again?
Did I see more than you did?
Decisions made without regard returning as regret,
I knew they could but thought they would come crashing with success
They know nothing about me and I really doubt they care,
But that's alright cause by myself I do fine anywhere
Did I trip myself up again?
Did I see more than you did?
Did I trip myself up again?
Did I see more than you did?
It seems like I shouldn't have pushed it,
Hid myself and lost focus for a change
Shouldn't have made myself committed,
I got to know that one by now,
I'm better off without
Going over in my head what seems like everything,
Remembering commitments that nowadays just blend
I don't know where I'm going and I don't think that I care,
I had my taste wound up misplaced bounced off those troubles clear
Did I trip myself up again?
Did I see more than you did?
Did I trip myself up again?
Did I see more than you did?
It seems like I shouldn't have pushed it,
Hid myself and lost focus for a change
Shouldn't have made myself committed,
I got to know that one by now,
I'm better off without
No comments:
Post a Comment