Beware Hester's Crossing

May 30th was the last day of school. Because Mila was heading to a scrap-booking "crop" that evening, I picked up both girls and was looking forward to a quiet evening at home--- a nice way to inaugurate the summer.

When I got in, I saw that there was a message on the answering machine. It was Mila who, in a rather calm voice said, "Hi, Honey. I'm at the corner of Hester's Crossing and Rawhide, behind La Frontera... I think I pretty much totalled the van." And a bit more. Borrowed cell phone. Hope you get this message so you can come pick me up.

So, off I went, expecting to turn at Hester's Crossing and have to scan for Mila walking down a grassy slope from a parking lot where she and the other driver had maybe parked to share information and wait for the police. She would be waving her arms so that I would see her. I mean, she was so calm about everything. Certainly it wasn't too bad.

In the event, when I turned on the Hester's Crossing I saw a huge fire engine blocking the traffic and two police cars with their lights flashing. In the center of the intersection there was a white ambulance, also with blue lights ablaze. Presently our van hove into sight, merged front-to-front with a new white Dodge Calibre. The asphalt was wet with all sorts of liquid that was leaking from both vehcles.

As I got closer I saw that the airbags had deployed--- a most surreal vision. There had obviously been a pretty serious impact.

Mila was fine (thank goodness!) as so was the other driver (double thanks!)

Once all the formalities had been attended to, the wrecker hauled our fatally wounded van up on a flatbed and lugged it over to a loading area behind La Frontera for us to go over it like a pack of jawas picking out valuables and transferring them to our Nissan.

I took this picture when it was up on the wrecker, and I was later disappointed because the angle de-emphasizes the extent of the damage (windshield was cracked by the hood, Mila could barely open driver's side door, the exhaust system had dropped down and been shoved toward the rear) but, really, getting the perfect shot was quite far from my mind. In the end, there was only one thing that mattered as far as this whole incident was concerned.