Upside Down S.U.V.

Today, I left for work behind schedule. I was exhausted from a lazy Sunday on the river yesterday, where I got sunburned after a float trip in shorty-shorts and a tank top. Anyhow, I got in the truck and turned on the radio, looking for some info on local traffic. As always, the freeway I take was slow, but today it was Super-D-Duper slow due to an accident. Ever resourceful, I went a bit out of my way to hop another freeway that generally has substantially better conditions. Everything was going fine - Jethro the Ford Piecer was hitting speeds of 75mph and his bursts of power loss that I've become accustomed to were less frequent than usual.

By 7:30 I was speeding along, in the far left lane of the highway. Suddenly, I saw a huge, white SUV flip over on the opposite side of the freeway. Boom. Upside down. And then skidding. On its top. Towards me.

This was rather frightening, and I quickly realized the sparking ball of white metal and black smoke could conceivably hit me. The only thing between us was a flimsy wire fence pretending to be a divider. A blanket of brown dust spit out from the SUV and covered me and Jethro. I slammed my brakes and stayed put, petrified, unable to move. I'm one of those people who will curl up in a ball and wait to die when disaster strikes. After the dust cleared I hopped from the truck, running to the SUV in my brand new Ann Taylor heels. And matching skirt. They are very cute. I wouldn't even mention my outfit, but it really was just very, very cute. Before it became covered in the dust sludge of my Good Samaritanship.

Anyhow, the father was already out, pulling his daughters from the back. People gathered, calling the police on their cell phones. A woman ran over, informing all that she was a nurse. She began checking the children. The mother got out and yelled "what did we hit?!?" The father was in rescue mode, and I watched him herd his children away from the billowing tower of black, scary smoke. The mother, get this, ran BACK to the charcoaled vehicle, despite her husband's attempt to hold her by the elbow. She shook free, screaming at him "I have to get my cell phone."

Can you believe that? I mean, they were surrounded by people on cell phones, calling for emergency assistance. Her daughters, probably aged 5 - 12, were freaking the fuck out, crying, afraid, scratched up, some bleeding. But mommy needed her cell phone. Look, maybe I'm being too judgmental, since this woman did just flip over and go asphalt skiing upside down in a big ass SUV. Concededly, I can't understand what instincts take over at that point. But I'm guessing mine would be more along the lines of checking on Daughter than retrieving cell phones. Then again, I have a really old, crappy Nokia. If I just made a year and a half commitment with some company, and gotten a free $250 phone with a built in camera n stuff... I dunno... I'm just thinking out-type here... I waited long enough to make sure all were well, and saw that there were plenty of witnesses. As such, I thought it best if I got out of the way before emergency personnel showed up - because there is nothing less effective than stupid people getting in the way of emergency crews.

I walked over, somberly handing my card to the father.

"Hi, I'm Lex (outstretched hand). Good to meet you (firm handshake).
Is this your daughter? So brave. (head pat).
Glad you are all ok, that looked pretty scary...
Listen, I don't know what happened, or if you feel you need to talk to someone...
But if there are any issues when you're working this out. You know, the insurance run-a-round, doctors or something...
Yeah, yeah. Oh sure, I know just how this can be.
Why don't you take my office number, and, God forbid, if there are any problems...
Give me a call.
I'd be glad to talk with you."

Never a bad time to recruit clientele.
40%. I would go 30%, but his wife didn't strike me as an overly sympathetic plaintiff.