Just Beyond the Cornfield

NaBloPoMo’s assignment for today is to write about a traumatic event that happened to us and the scenes surrounding the event.

I have had two traumatic events that I can recall happening to me.  One isn’t so traumatic—and the other one was considerably traumatic given my age—so I guess I’ll go with the second one.

It was summer—and blazing hot. I was staying with my cousins up in Union, MI and we went to the lake that day.  As lunch time approached—we headed back to the house and grabbed a bite to eat.  There was no air conditioning back then, neither in the house or in the cars—and the summer heat was just sweltering. I remember thinking that there was no relief from the heat. And I had lived in Florida!! The only difference was that Florida, while much hotter than Michigan could ever dream to be in the summer time, provided a temporary relief within its homes and cars, as almost all came with air conditioning.  This phenomenon must not have been unheard of in Michigan in the early 80’s.

We piled into the pick up truck to head back to the lake.  My cousin Roger at the wheel, my cousin Angie and I were sitting in the middle and my cousin Donnie was sitting next to the passenger door. I think my cousin Roger was showing off. He barreled off the back of the property through the corn field instead of taking the roadways.  The corn was so high on both sides you couldn’t see anything coming at you.  He didn’t hit any corn though—as there were paths where other vehicles had traveled—but he went so fast scaring the heck out of all of us! I was really scared something would be around the next turn and we’d plunge head first into our demise.  It was just a feeling at that point.  I thought he was half nuts driving across someone else’s cornfield at speeds to which no old Ford should have gone—but I had to admit the breeze that circulated through truck felt wonderful.  I remember thinking only a few more minutes and this nightmare ride would be over and we’d be cooling off at the lake.

At the end of the cornfield, he made a right up onto the road—and then we came to a four way stop.  I remember just a few things in the next few moments.  Sitting on the corner up to the left were an old couple on a wooden yard swing.  They were drinking tea or lemonade. I can’t tell you why I remember this.  I remember seeing a car approach from the left that was stopping.  I remember looking out the passenger window and not seeing any cars coming toward us.  My cousin pulled out from that stop sign, as it was his turn to go. I noticed as the older couple sitting on their swing, jumped up from their seats, drinks flying in the air, and they both started running toward us.

A split second later,  I heard the metal crunch from my right, Donnie swearing something in my right ear, my face planted in the dashboard and the lights went out.

When I came to, I felt hot water dripping down my back—it burned—but more concerning was that my face was buried in the dashboard—and I couldn’t move.  I screamed for relief as this hot water (which was hot steam from the engine dripping through the new hole in the truck roof) was trickling down my back.  My screams were muffled!!  I was terrified no one could hear me. In a matter of minutes, I heard sirens.  I pleaded for the burning on my back to stop.  Finally, Roger must have realized, because he did something to keep that hot water off of me. 

It wasn’t long after this, when EMS had pried the dashboard from around my face and I was helped out of the truck.  Dazed and amazed and confused. Our truck and the truck that hit us were only 10 feet away from the older couple’s yard swing.  They were quite concerned for all of us.

Someone blasted through that four way stop at 135mph.  The truck had no doors.  My cousin Donnie sitting next to the passenger door—had her arm hanging out the window trying to get a tan.  When the vehicles collided she ended up smacking the driver of the other vehicle in the back of the head sending him into the windshield.   The impact had broke her ribs on her right side. I guess if the other driver would have had a door—this may have not happened. (Who drives a pick-up truck without doors?). 

Oh and it would have helped if he would have stopped too.

It all happened so quickly.  Not just the accident but everything.  I survived the ordeal—although I hurt like hell at the time.  It was pretty scary for a 9 year old to have to live through. I realized it could have been much, much worse.  Everyone survived and luckily no one was majorly hurt.  That was the good news.  Now I just hope it will be the only real traumatic event to ever come my way—it was enough to last a lifetime!

Has any thing traumatic ever happened to you?

What scenes surrounded the event?

Join NaBloPoMo and share your story!

Cheers,