So What Happened?

That is the question I asked multiple times over the past week. How does a couple with sixteen years riding together, a driver that has been riding 30 years, suddenly lay down?

We all have to lay down at least once in our lives.

Sunday evenings we like to spend it at the bar Husabnd’s sister works at. I tend to get drunk, husband gets a buzz early in the night, then tapers down his buzz by drinking water. He has never driven drunk. We were just informed that a client of ours, and a friend we had known for many many years, had been found dead the night before. This devastated Husband. He moped most of the night, while I tried to cheer him up. Reminding him that we were to celebrate the life that someone has lived.

It was getting late in the evening and we saw it fit to go ahead and leave. And thinking about the events yet to come, it was best that we had left when we did.

The night was simply gorgeous. The air was crisp, the stars where bright and clear. I love riding on nights like these. It’s revigorating. It’s the type of moments that really remind you that life is truly wonderful and meant to be enjoyed.

My left cheek was pressed against husband’s leather. Rarely do we ride this way, but tonight I was feeling exceptionally loving. I felt the bike down shift to second. I looked up and saw that we were coming up on our turn. Side streets all the way. I watched to my right as we slowed, seeing the halo of the soft orange lights of the gas station. Here is where Husband saw sparks.

“oh god what happened?” ” I don’t know baby, I don’t know!”

I was suddenly in the through lane, 15 feet or so from where I had saw the orange lights. A woman was screaming oh my god in my face, and a husky man’s voice was asking if we needed an ambulance. The woman I ask to go get me some water. She really needed to shut up. I could hear Husband standing somewhere away from me saying he was sorry. I spotted his glasses in the road and got up on my left knee, crawling through so much glass. Glass? I remember that vividly. Why so much glass? Had we been hit by a car?

Suddenly Husband was behind me, pulling me back toward to curb. “what happened baby?” I don’t know. . . I’m sorry. . . I’m sorry.” a man behind us informed us we had missed the turn. Husband held me, rocking, asking if I was ok.

No

There was something wrong with my leg. It was in the shape of an S and when I tried to move it, it flopped like a fish. Yet it didn’t hurt too much. Husband held me. His lips against my ear, apologizing and telling me he loved me.

EMS arrived soon, shortly after the dark haired woman brought me that water. They asked the usual questions. Although I find being questioned at a wreck if I was a victim of domestic violence was a bit odd. I was loaded first. My EMT Audry was a wonderful lady. Her partner helped Husband. I couldn’t hear him. Audry asked me to pay attention to her. But I kept asking after Husband. She would tell me he was fine, and sayss he was right next to me, asking for me. The next thing I know the EMTs put Husband and I’s hands together, allowing us to hold hands as we always have.

Then to the hospital. It was scary not to have Husband next to me. Just a sea of faces over me, asking questions. So many questions. I tried to answer everyone. It was too confusing. Then I hear that something was going to hurt me, and the the sea of faces smiled and put my dislocated knee back in place. I would see Husband again for 24 hours.

What happened than? Excessive speed? No, we were slowing and in second gear, Husband said we were doing about 20 miles per hour, and had yet to actually turn. The bike never turned. The pivot shaft in the rear fork broke, (also known as a swing arm) we had no choice in what happened once it went. It was a good thing it broke where and when it did. It could have been on the highway, doing 65mph. It could have happened while we where in the turn and slapping us against utility poles.

She dumped us in a better place. And to thank her, she will be rebuilt.

All the glass in the road? Was from previous accidents that was never cleared. Four days after our accident, our bike debri still littered the intersection. Several Nurses informed me that the city has stopped using the street sweepers to save money. I don’t know if this saved us, or caused the accident to be worse.

And my wedding ring is gone. I cried when I discovered that. Husband keeps telling me that it is just on object. I know he says this to help comfort me. But my ring. . . My ring, is gone.