March Slice of Life Story Challenge: Day 20 of 31 / Driving

Driving

Today is March 20. The first day of Spring. There should be flowers blooming, birds singing, sun shining. But I am in Northwest Indiana, and there is snow falling.  A lot of it. I have one eye open and I'm struggling to open the other. We had quite a few wake-ups last night, Tommy and I, and at 5am he decided it was time to be awake for good for the day. My mom stumbles out from her room around 7am. She says she thinks Starbucks would be a good idea. I decide that is wholly necessary, as is a run to the drug store for toothpaste. We get Tommy to sleep, and I get behind the wheel. Of a car. Not the stroller I'm used to driving living in a city with public transportation abounding.

There is snow everywhere. The wind is blowing straight into the windshield as I start out. The driveway is snow upon ice. I turn down the road, then onto the main road, and on into the drug store. I am fine, I think. But...

Leaving the drugstore the snow has gotten worse. I wonder if it would officially qualify as a blizzard. I need to make a left turn, but I don't feel confident, so I decide to go right. The coast looks clear. I pull out, and as I do, I see a truck coming right at me. I didn't see it - its lights were off. But still, in that split second I think, I should have looked more carefully. Checked twice. Every muscle in my body clenches. This is it, I think. I'm going to get hit. Tommy is at home, he is ok. But I am his lifeline. I need to be ok. The driver of the truck swerves to let me in. He is right up on my bumper and rightfully he is angry. But we are all ok.

I think about all of the near misses in life. I think about how lucky I am to be able to go on my way, the driver of the truck on his. I continue to Starbucks. To get the coffee that I think could have cost me my life. But I also think that at any time, something bad could happen. And in the end, I think, we have to go on, anyway.