Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Bad Accident on the Interstate
By Don Iannone

Traffic had nearly come to a standstill.
You just knew...
there was a major problem ahead.
It wasn't long before there were
red and blue lights flashing everywhere.
I studied the streak of eerie blue light
making its way across my left hand and arm
propped against the arm rest.
Ten minutes later
we knew exactly what the problem was--
an accident, and a big one at that.
The red flares directed us
to the right berm of the road.
All four lanes were closed by this one--
two trucks, a van, and a car...
all tied up in a knot.
It was a hideous sight, but
the worst part was to come:
the bodies on stretchers;
especially the black man writhing in pain,
while three technicians try to steady him.
It's amazing how much you can observe
in a 30-second drive-by of a truly ugly accident scene.
The images of the horrid scene lingered in my mind
nearly half way to Detroit.
On a frigid, sub-zero morning such as this,
salt doesn't do much to counteract the icy roadway.
I slowed down for the next two hours,
and just accepted that I was going to be late
for my first meeting.

9 comments:

polona said...

that's just horrible. glad you're ok.

Bob said...

Sobering.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Rob and Polona. It's awful the grizzily things that happen to people. Very sad.

trinitystar said...

Quite macabre really, how we are so curious to glance at a roadside tragedy. A shocking reminder of that split second glance urges us to become aware of our own driving and makes us slow down.
You must a great deal of driving Don. Safe journey wherever you go.
Warm embrace to you. :o)

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Trinitystar.

Kathleen said...

Sad and Sobering... yes... I think we are all touched deeply by such things... in ways we can not even understand...

So glad you are safe Don... meetings can always wait!

Borut said...

Poetry all around us, for those who see. You sure can turn death into poetry. Quite a feat! I don’t know which part of you is better: Don the realist, or Don the thinker. They work very well together, though – there’s no doubt about that!

Dan said...

Ummm...

Kai said...

poor don
glad ur alright!

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