Debbie saw Sherri's singal light and halted, waiting for a distant oncoming car to pass. A sudden rushing of wind came up behind her. She felt the speed of the approaching car. And the amplified screech of brakes, which she was to recall later. She imagined a big green sedan containing a bunch of greasy guys. And she waited, in that split second, to be hit. BANG! The rushing car pushed her forward with supersonic loud noise. She scrunched her shoulders and went with it. Zing-ing-ing-ing! Like a gentle spring rain, the tingling filled her neck, her back.
Eyes wide, she looked out of her window at the big car, at the woman. She could have been her grandmother. A small girl accompanied her.
"Thanks for stopping," she said quietly.
"Oh, I wouldn't just leave you!" The woman squeezed her hand.
"I'm going to call the police," Sherri said and ran down the street.
"Want me to call the police?" a young man approached her, walking across the street.
"My sister is. Thanks."
"Are you all right? Want a drink of water?" a large, gentle woman with a blond pageboy hairstyle asked Debbie. She returned with a blue plastic cup of nice, cold water.
"Are you alright, too? I'm sorry I forgot to ask," she approached the woman.
A young woman with long frizzy hair crossed the street, asking if Debbie were all right. She had heard the noise.
Sirens wailed faintly and suddenly, police cars were parked alongside her on the side road. A young EMT with sandy hair and blue eyes asked her if she wanted treatment.
An officer with friendly blue eyes asked the same question. Their blue eyes reflected the water of the nearby cove. Another police officer asked Debbie if she were all right. She looked at them all with wide eyes. But she refused to talk to the woman. She wanted to ask her, "Why did you do this to me?" As she stepped outside of her car, realizing she'd locked the door, Debbie began to unload it. The back seat was pushed forward.
There lay her cup of chocolate ice cream, once resting on her dashboard, in the back seat. Her sunglasses were flung on the odometer screen. The rear view mirror had become unglued and rested on the floor. How had it not hit her in the head?
She walked to the back of the car. The rear windshield was intact, but the taillights and the whole rear end were crunched.
"Are you OK to drive?"
"She's not driving it," the officers laughed as they rolled it forward. Off the side road. Onto some grass.
"I didn't notice your signal light," the woman had said.
Now she revised it. "I saw her start to slow down and I couldn't stop in time and I hit her with this big old thing," she moaned. Debbie refused to look at her, but continued to unload her car.
"I think you should get back in the car," an officer told her. She didn't really feel like sitting inside it.
"Look straight ahead," the handsome EMT said. "How many fingers am I holding up? What's today's date? What's your name? Social Security number? Gosh, you're doing better than I am. Who's the President?"
"Um...um..I can't remember!"
"Clinton!" Sherri laughed.
"Oh, Clinton."
"Where is the President vacationing?"
"I don't know."
"That was a trick question," the EMT joked. "Hold up your arms." And he began to fasten a foam vest around her.
MORE TO COME! (Are we there.......yet???...* * * :)
