After spending two consecutive days tiling the floor (which turned out to be a MUCH bigger project than I intended - I thought 2 days, tops.  Not so, but I digress.  I do that alot.) It looked like we were running low of thin-set mortar.  So, after my helpers went home to recover, I made a mad dash to Home Depot for more mud.  I arrive at 5:15pm to find that they closed at 5.  Oh well, I understand with it being New Years’ Eve and all.  So I decided that the husband and I deserved a DQ Blizzard.

Drats, they were closed too.  Hate that.  But then, I spy in the distance (OK, 300 feet) Starbucks!  Score!  I succumbed and treated myself using my B-Day gift card.  But, being a piggy, I bought 2 - for ME!  You know, one for later.  (Did you know that the Frappuccino’s freeze well?  They make a great breakfast.  I am just saying.)  As I am leaving the drive-thru (I love you drive-thru Starbucks!) I spy a crisis forming in front of me. 

Just over the hedge, in the street, a woman is screaming.  A large suburban is stopped and it is obvious something bad has happened.  I see people starting to gather, but they remained 40 feet away.  I stopped the truck, jumped out, went over the hedge, dodged oncoming traffic, and raced to the man laying face down in the street.  He was unconscious, but I could feel a pulse.  His wife, who was still in hysterics, kept trying to pull him up and roll him over.  I got her a little calmer and finally another bystander stepped up to deal with the woman.  Others were gathered around the cars involved and I honestly don’t know who hit the man or what the situation was, only that a man was down and no one else stepped forward.  If I am ever in that position, I hope someone steps forward.  It is a lot to just hold someones hand, check for a pulse, and be a force of calm and reason.

Anyway, I could see two people on the phone with 9-1-1 and they both asked me questions about the man’s condition.  I was surprised at how calm I was.  I was grateful he was breathing because I did not want to turn him over.  He eventually regained consciousness and was uncertain what happened.  He did recognize his wife’s voice and I was able to get her to come around and hold his hand, though, in her hysterics she kept yanking on him.  In response to her hysterics, he told her he was ok and was going to be fine.  I don’t think he was quite sure of that, but she needed to hear it.  He was able to move his fingers, but not his legs.  It was pitch black, so I could not tell if he was bleeding, but then again, I didn’t move him.  I was pretty certain there was a spinal cord injury, and I knew that the paramedics were better equipped to assess the situation.  When they finally arrived (a LONG time), I stepped away.  I told them I saw nothing and gave them the vitals as best I could.  I then calmly recrossed the street and got into my truck.  My car door was still open, my lights were still on, and my wallet was still on the seat. 

Thank goodness for karma.  All in all, I think I deserved those 2 Starbucks drinks.  But that is just me, and I am searching hard for justification.

No news on the man or his condition, but then, it was a VERY busy night and gun shots and general violence marred the entire evening around town.  So I prefer to believe that no news is good news.  And, I am grateful it was not me unconscious in the middle of the road, nor was I in the vehicle that hit him.  I hope I was helpful.