FIRST, THE FACTS...
Monday morning after a long Sunday, I missed my usual 8:08 shuttle to SMU, but made it to the bus stop just in time to catch the 8:23. Off my schedule but on our way, the bus stopped for a red light a few blocks later. As our driver prepared to proceed through the intersection, an eager woman in a brown SUV decided she wanted to make a right turn. In front of us. From the center lane. We were in the right lane.
Because I was sitting in the front row, I had a birds-eye view of the impact as the other passengers and I lurched forward together. The bus was moving slowly, and no one was injured.
Because I was sitting in the front row, I had a birds-eye view of the impact as the other passengers and I lurched forward together. The bus was moving slowly, and no one was injured.
As might be expected, the SUV definitely got the worst end of the deal in terms of property damage.
I recalled words a Highland Park police officer spoke to me a few months ago when a teenager tried to drive her daddy's pick-up truck into the same space inconveniently occupied by my rear fender: "Any accident you walk away from is a good one."
I asked the other seven passengers collectively and then individually whether they were injured. Thankfully, all were fine. Asked the same of the hapless driver of the SUV, who by then had parked her crumpled vehicle and made her way to confer with the bus driver. She was dazed but apparently otherwise unharmed. Took a dozen pictures, carefully documented details.
Our driver was professional throughout. He reacted quickly and compassionately, went by the book in every respect. After determining no one was injured, he thoughtfully apologized that we would be delayed until the next bus arrived, though the fault clearly resided entirely with the other driver.
The next shuttle arrived right on schedule, 15 minutes behind us. Our journey resumed, and as we prepared to part ways I promised my fellow travelers that my eyewitness report would accurately attest that our driver was in no way at fault. Later that morning I e-mailed a thorough account - along with photographs and other documentation I had collected - to the appropriate authorities.
INTERPRETATION #1If I had not missed the early shuttle, I would not have been in a position to come to the aid of our faithful bus driver. The passengers, our driver, and the management of "Buses By Bill, Inc." all expressed profuse appreciation for my assistance. The driver of the SUV even e-mailed me with a word of thanks for my concern and a request for some needed information that I was easily able to provide. I honestly feel like I made a real difference for the better because I was there, then.
INTERPRETATION #2
I was the only person at my bus stop when the 8:23 paused to pick me up. Had I been on the 8:08 a.m. bus as usual, this 8:23 shuttle would have been on a slightly but significantly earlier schedule. That 20 or 30 seconds may well have made the difference when it came to the timing of this unfortunate little accident. In a way, I share some responsibility for this accident.
INTERPRETATION #3-A
Perhaps my little delay actually prevented this bus from being in a more serious accident. Or maybe a passing vehicle unknown to me barely avoided a terrible accident later that morning, because our bus had blocked the right southbound lane of Greenville Avenue at University Drive in Dallas, Texas, for 15 minutes during morning rush hour. Maybe this was a part of some greater Divine plan. (But see #3-B, following...)
INTERPRETATION #3-B
Perhaps a passing vehicle unknown to me was in a terrible accident later that morning, because their schedule was affected by our bus which had blocked the right southbound lane of Greenville Avenue at University Drive in Dallas, Texas, for 15 minutes during morning rush hour. Maybe there will be painful repercussions years from now that we can never know. The universe is full of random events and chaos. It is impossible to draw any conclusions one way or the other.
INTERPRETATION #4
I'm obviously not getting enough sleep, possibly because I spend too much time obsessing about how to interpret events like this.
INTERPRETATION #5
What do you think? Which interpretive option resonates with you? Or do you have other suggestions?
What do you think? Which interpretive option resonates with you? Or do you have other suggestions?
#2, NIX. Especially the part in bold. Let's not go there.
ReplyDelete#3A, perhaps possible
#3B, agree about random events and chaos, but some random events are NOT chaos *See my comment below about #1*
#4 Entirely plausible! But mahalo for obsessing and making us scratch our heads on this one.
#1, Wins my vote--It's all about human beings and what we are able to bring to the table, especially at the time it is needed the most. The BEST part of all is no one was injured. HUGE.
Aloha, dear friend...
Deb, there is a good reason you go by "Sweet Spirit." Thank you for weighing in!
DeleteFrom Dr. Dale McLemore via e-mail, share with permission. He did not title his remarks, but the postscript inspires me to suggest this heading:
ReplyDelete"Of Butterflies and Buntings"
Dear Tim,
I've always assumed that Eli Whitney was responsible for the American Civil War. After all, had he not invented the cotton gin the southern states would not have found cotton growing to be so profitable and, therefore, would not have purchased so many slaves before the 1808 cutoff date. Instead of considering Whitney, perhaps we should consider the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. Had the Greeks not defeated the Persians, the entire history of the Western World would have unfolded differently than it did, etc.
Despite my sarcastic tone, I DO think that such "mental experiments" as the ones listed in your clever blog are useful. In this particular case, though, I prefer interpretation #1. The "ifs" are worth thinking about but, in this instance, I think all of the other members of the cast were fortunate that you were there.
Love,
Dale
P.S. We've seen another painted bunting at our feeder. Now I wonder: could there have been a "butterfly effect" from your bus accident that in some complicated, untraceable manner affected the flight of this bunting?
This reminds me of one of my favorite Zen stories:
ReplyDeleteThere is the story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.
One of my favorite stories, David, and quite fitting in this context. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteA lovely reply from my friend and former parishioner at Kessler Park UMC, Cindy Morman:
ReplyDeleteI think your being there made a difference. It’s like throwing a pebble in the water and watching the ripples. People do make a difference by their actions. What may or may not have occurred that you don’t know about is not something I contemplate. This is just my opinion. Your being there made a difference in my life. And, there is an ongoing ripple even though you moved on.
Cindy Morman
Amen to this one. Especially the last two sentences!
ReplyDelete