Airplanes, Automobiles & Too Much Excitement

My brother and his wife arrived here from BC a couple of weeks ago. They had quite the journey getting here, leaving the end of May with an intended stop-over in Edmonton for a couple of weeks. Didn't end up that way though. They headed out after about three weeks there and their cube van containing all their earthly possessions had some serious mechanical problems. A supposedly good heavy duty mechanic that their friend knew from his church led them on a wild goose chase that cost them dearly in both expenses and time. In the end, it all worked out and they hit the road without any further problems.

Now, my brother was waiting for a very important call to fly to Yellowknife for a two week job making some serious money. Of course, things never go exactly as planned but he finally got the call this week and his flight arrangements were made and so forth. His flight was for 6 am so that means being at the airport around 5 am and THAT means getting up at 3:30 am to hit the road at 4 am from our place to pick up my brother and then head to the airport.

Since I have this very practical side to me, I told hubs he had to leave at 4 am which allowed a good 15 minute grace period (just in case.... I can't stand being late). No problem with that and as I crawled back into bed my brother calls to make sure nobody slept in. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to us, hubs was on the cell phone trying to reach me. While talking to my brother, I heard my cat making those "gonna hurl a fur ball" noises so I quickly said my goodbyes to my brother. Good thing, too because my brother likes the phone and would have stayed on longer.

Shortly after cleaning the mess my cat made, the phone rings and it's hubs. "You're not going to believe this", he says, "it's pretty serious." Good heavens! Did he hit a deer or moose or worse? Well, he came round a tight curve in the road and just about rear-ended a car that was parked smack dab in the road... no four-ways flashing, no engine running, nada. He got out to see what the heck and found a woman slumped over in the driver's seat. He pounded and banged on the window and roof of the car but got no response from the woman. (Good thing I made sure he took the cell phone because he wouldn't have otherwise... good old practical me.)

He had called 911 before calling me to say "GET HERE NOW" and I'm frantically scrambling for clothing and keys, making sure I have my wallet in case I get pulled over for speeding (but I didn't speed - it was too foggy and my windshield was really fogged up). When I arrived he said, "You go, I'm staying here to make sure nobody else comes along and hits her." The ambulance pulled up just behind me. They couldn't get into the car or rouse her so instead of breaking the car window to get in they booted the daylights out of the car door. Intelligent. Wouldn't it have been easier and more practical (there I go again) to just bust the window? Male macho thing, I guess. Or they were freaking out.

All the way to my brother's place I'm really tense and hoping this poor woman is OK and looking at the clock, hoping we'll get to the airport in time. I called my brother to let him know what was happening and he's freaking out about missing his flight. It's way too early for this to happen. As well, it was very foggy and I really have to watch the roadside for animals. Roadkill in the country is common. I don't wanna kill any little furry creatures and certainly don't want to be hitting a deer or moose.

When I arrive at my brother's, I run into the house "Have to go.... NOW! Cramps." Need I say more? And doesn't that just figure? I shudder to think what the drive would have been like for me otherwise. He's freaking and I'm yelling "It's OK... I'm fast." And I was. And I drove within the limits posted (kinda) and got him there in plenty of time for baggage checking and security clearance. I did go in there to make sure he found his way OK as he's not a frequent flyer and I know he's stressed. I had some serious bed head going on and was wearing my "NEVER wear these in public" crocks on my feet. OH WELL! The city girl in me was dying but the country bumkin that I now am just had to shrug it off. It's not like all eyes were on me whatsoever, right?

And the lady in the car... she wasn't dead... she wasn't old as I wondered. I had noticed the Manitoba plates on the car so I was perplexed at how she ended up as she did... automatic conclusion was "elderly". She was in her 30's, said she had taken some medication earlier in the day that made her drowsy so she thought she pulled over so she could 'rest' or whatever. This is very odd...it's 4 am and she just stopped on the curve and shut off her car. Ended up that she was out of gas; the cops tried to start the car but it kept stalling. She had also peed herself and my hubs notice a sticker on the window that had been put there previously by the police. Maybe she has a history of some odd behaviours while driving? I have no clue but she's alive and everything turned out all right.

All I wanted was to just to go back to sleep. Not gonna happen.