Disaster Diverted

Today was the big move back home for Daughter #1. The 26 foot U-haul was to be picked up by 9:30am and then we were to drive to Daughter #2's friend's house to load some stuff into the truck that she needed to bring back to her apartment close to where Daughter #1 was moving. The Labor Day Weekend Traveling Extravaganza was in full swing complete with the Ohio State Patrol out in record numbers to cut down on the speeding travelers and attempt to make the holiday safer. I had made my typical "holiday" speech to all concerned about being extra careful when driving on the holidays because of the increased traffic, the increased speed traps, (which really shouldn't concern anyone if they are going the speed limit), along with the increase in holiday drinking; which I did not think would be an issue early in the morning.

Being the complete control freak that I am (second only to the control freak which is my brother), we planned out the course of events. Things were going along just as planned. We arrived at Daughter #2's friends house and packed her things into the truck. I climbed into the big rig with my brother and my niece and we followed the car that Daughter #2 was driving with her friend on the passenger's side. The highway was busy, but not terribly so; which made the drive rather easy. The conversation was relaxing as my brother and I chatted about how we'd like to unload Daughter #1's things on Sunday as opposed to Monday, but either would be fine. My eyes were facing out the front window catching the green scenery and the cars traveling next to the truck. Up in the distance, I spotted two cars that looked disabled and were pulled off the side of the road. The cars were a good 500 feet from each other and were clearly off to the side of the road presenting no risk to traffic moving in their direction. The cars were at a complete stop; the first car was empty and the second car looked as if there were two people in the front seat. Daughter #2 was traveling in the right side lane just in front of us; and the faster moving traffic was in two left hand lanes. There were cars in both lanes beside the truck we were driving and beside the car that my Daughter was driving in front of us. All of a sudden, without any warning, the second car pulled out from it's stopped position directly next to Daughter #2. She had no place to go. The car to the left of her was at her door and the car to the right was moving rapidly into her right side. I watched helplessly as the car merged quickly toward my daughter. I grabbed the dashboard with my knuckles turning white, my brother whispered the words, "oh my God." My eyes were wide in terror; I tried to close them but they were transfixed to the scene playing out before me. It wasn't until Daughter #2 did some pretty fancy driving and swerved to miss the car moving towards her and then swerved to miss the car in the other lane that I realized I was holding my breath. It seemed like there was a hand's width between the two cars. Daughter #2's car swerved left then right finally ending up in front of the intruding car.

No apologies. No remorse. The car rode gallantly passed Daughter #2's car. As I watched, I once again realized how fragile life is and that in a twinkling of an eye, my whole life could have changed forever.