Life Saving Blankets--With Mary's Help

I went out to the Nolans' house last night. Andrea had rented another Indian movie, and we were getting together to watch it. I was running a little late because Mary wanted to ride with me. It was getting confusing trying to figure out where I would meet up with Mary, so she said she would just drive out there herself. I almost agreed, but then I decided that was silly. There was no reason to take two cars out.

We finally got out there, and watched the weirdest Indian movie ever. Actually--no, there are probably weirder movies. But this one was just...terrible. It was called 'Asoka', and it was sad, and it was really, really long, and don't ever watch it 'cause it's weird.

After the movie some of us went outside and talked about how weird it was, and some of us stayed inside and talked about how weird it was. Then everybody went outside to talk about how weird it was, and how much more we liked 'Lagaan', and then we all went back inside--and talked about other things.

I was tired and wanted to leave, but I didn't want to make Mary leave. Oh, but then I decided I wasn't that nice of a sister, and told to her come on because I wanted to go. She of course took about two minutes longer than I did to say 'goodbye', so I was standing by the door telling her come on.

We had finally left, and had gone about 1/4 of a mile when we remembered we'd forgotten some quilts back at the Nolans' that we were supposed to give to my sister Kelly. I didn't want to go back, because I was tired, and it would just take more time, but Mary said, "Oh, just go get them...Just back up the whole way." Well, Mary's goofy, and for some reason I listen to her, so I backed up almost all of the way back to the house.

Pretty soon Mary was back in the car with lots of blankets, which she stuffed in the back, and we were once again driving down the road.

About two miles down the road I saw a truck on the side of the road. I slowed down as I passed it because I thought it was Marcy's truck. That was when I saw two people standing in front of it, whom I thought were Marcy and Anthony, but I realized the truck--although the same make and model as Marcy's--was green instead of black. But I also realized that the truck had been wrecked. I stopped the car and backed up. That was when I realized it was Abby, a girl I've known for years, who is also a good friend of Ginny's.

I jumped out of my car and ran over to her, asking what had happened. She just kept saying, "We're just fine, Tracy. We're just fine, Tracy." She said it over and over again, which worried me because I knew it was a sign of shock. I was hugging her, and I saw the guy she was with was leaning over the hood of his car. "Who is this?" I asked. "Oh," she said. "This is Matt. (Don't hold me to that 'cause I think it may have been Mike.)" I was *shocked* because this kid of about 16 years old--standing next to his dad's totalled truck--straightens up, turns and looks at me, sticks out his hand and says, "Hi. I'm Matt (Mike?). It's nice to meet you."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. "I'm Tracy," I said. "It's nice to meet you, too. Are you okay??"
He said he was fine, and Abby was behind me still saying the same thing to Mary. I turned back to her and made sure she could move everything. She was fine! So was he! No even any apparent cuts or bruises. I couldn't believe it.

I asked Abby what had happened. They were driving down the gravel road, and they had washboarded. Then the truck flipped. Then they got out of the car. Abby said it all happened about ten minutes before we got there, and that she had called her parents. A few minutes later her parents pulled up. Her mom got out of the car, and I heard her whisper "Jesus!" It broke my heart because I knew she was remembering getting the phone call a few years ago telling her that her son, Abby's older brother, had been killed in a car accident. After making sure that everyone was okay, Mary and I got back in the car and pulled away.

It was very quiet my car at first. Then I said, "Wow. If we had left just a few minutes before...."
Then Mary said, "If we hadn't gone back to get the blankets...."

Yeah. And if Mary hadn't been with me, I *wouldn't* have gone back to get the blankets. Not only could I have been involved as well, but Abby and Matt--who were amazingly intact--may have been hurt after all.

My grandmother has always told me to carry a blanket in my car during the winter. "You never know when your car might break down....Having a blanket could save your life."