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Down in the Dirt (v135)
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Count your Blessings

Eric Burbridge

    This was the second wave of thunder, lightning and torrential rain in the last half hour. I cut our speed to half the minimum and the wiper motor screamed while it barely cleared the view. The flat stretch of I-57 left the Accord, even with new tires, hydroplaning close to the rumble strip. I should pull under the next overpass and wait, but the semi behind me was way to close. Caroline and Carmine were glue to their tablets oblivious to the dark swirling clouds headed our way. I guess I shouldn’t complain they’d been fussing back and forth since we left. They promised if I took them along to deliver their great grannies car to their uncle they’d get along. A major task for my nine and eleven year old granddaughters.
    The wife rejoiced when we backed out the driveway. “I love you, traveling mercies, be careful.” She said.
    To think we wanted a daughter, but ended up with three boys.
    What a blessing considering old age and kids mixed like oil and water.
    The car rocked when the wind smacked the driver’s side and that snapped the girls out of their device induced trances. “Slow down, granddad.” Debris flew by in the horizontal rains. The semi ahead wobbled and slowed to a crawl; golf ball size hail pelted the hood and roof. The noise was deafening. I prayed for an overpass. Suddenly, a roaring wave of air pressure spun the car and tilted it to the limit.
    Tornado!!!
    I hit the brakes as it headed for the trenches on the roadside. The girls screamed when we tumbled and the car became airborne then landed upright wedged under an overturned tractor-trailer.
    It was a miracle my vehicle didn’t flip when it spun!
    “You okay? Carmen...Caroline?” I loosened my roller coaster grip on the wheel and turned around. Their eyes were bucked, tears frozen on their little faces. “You okay?”
    They nodded and whimpered. “We’re okay, granddad.” I sighed and rested my head on the wheel. Thank God for seat belts. The downpour continued and for the next ten minutes we sat in silence.
    My heart slowed and I cleared my throat. “Now you see why I stay on you about those seat belts, right?”
    “Right, granddad.”
    I hoped the trucks tanks hadn’t ruptured. I hit the button and the window dropped without a sound, no odor of gas or diesel fuel. I couldn’t open the door more than a foot. “OK, ladies we’ll have to climb out the window. I think we’ve got enough room to get on top then we got it made.” I hoped anyway. “Okay?”
    “Okay, granddad.” They whimpered.
    “You’re my girls...we’ll make it.” I had to get out of the potential death trap. “Carmen, climb out and see if there’s enough room for us to follow. Okay?”
    “Okay.” She was out and on top faster than I thought. I forget their kids. Caroline followed. I hoped their weight wouldn’t further dent the roof. “Come on granddad, you got room. There’s a car behind us, if it moves we can get out.” I squeezed out the opening onto the roof and followed them across the trailers side. The drop to the ground hurt my knee, but we were clear. The girls ran over to the overturned tractor and peered through the windshield. “There’s a lady in there.”
    “Wait a minute.” Before I took a step, they climbed on the door. Their little arms struggled and finally swung it open.
    “She’s woke, granddad!” Carmen screamed and entered the cab. When I looked in the young driver smiled, a grateful smile, but she was in pain. She shuffled around the console and prepared to climb out. Sirens and flashing lights approached and maneuvered through overturned vehicles. The sky started to clear when the black clouds continued northward. I prayed for those in its path. The road was full of walking, but injured miracles. As we went vehicle to vehicle we didn’t see any fatalities. Amazed and proud I observed my granddaughter try to comfort others especially those with smaller children. Complete strangers fell in love with them. That warmed my heart and made me proud, but I lacked the energy to stick around too much longer. Most vehicles were operational; the majority of the damage from flying debris.
    I forgot about the cars behind ours. I waved for the girls to come back. I knew they’d say I walked to slow. “Stay with me I’m going back to see if those cars trapped behind us can be moved.”
    “But there’s more cars pushed over by the cornfields,” Caroline said. “They might need help.”
    “OK, ok, but we see about us, then we help, got it?”
    “Ok, granddad.” They said, disappointed.
    “It won’t take long.”
*

    The sun’s rays poked through gray clouds with the heat and add humidity. Several people pushed the vehicles behind us back out from the wedged trailers. A tow truck pulled up and the heavy set driver aided the others. Thank goodness their cars started. “Wait here ladies, now I can move the car.” I backed up over wood and metal debris I feared would blow the tires. It didn’t, but my heart went out to the truckers who’d be stuck for God knows how long. They watched first responders with their wreckers move the over turned vehicles. We backed into the mile long single lane of traffic that meandered around debris and other vehicles. The situation brought out their concern for others. They wanted to stop and help everybody.
    “I like helping people like those firemen.” Carmen said. “I want to do that when I get old.”
    “Old?” I asked.
    “Not as you, but you know, older.” They laughed.
    Traffic loosened up and after they cried and murmured to stay longer we headed for our destination. The worse circumstances bring out the best in a few people. I’m grateful my granddaughters are among that blessed crowd. I thought about the dents in the roof, but I was thankful the hail didn’t crack the moon roof. This car is a gem my son will appreciate. And, looking further on the bright side; it’s not everyday you get to see kids demonstrate their aspirations. They aren’t such brats after all. I grinned when I saw their little heads together sound asleep. Enjoy the peace and quiet, Andy, they’ll be awake soon.



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