We (my mom, my sister and I) were crossing the Kennedy Bridge back to Indiana one summer evening in late June of 1980. We had been to watch a marching band contest in Louisville. We had so much fun watching the bands perform so professionally. I loved the drums! Anyway, when we crossed the bridge back into Indiana, we met an ambulance from Salem with it’s lights and sirens on. This is first time I remember having the urge to pray. I prayed silently for whoever was in that ambulance and for the care the person would receive. I figured since it came from Salem, there was a pretty good chance we would know the person inside.
It was dark by the time we reached Salem. We dropped off my sister at her home and then mom and I went home. We had been driving dad’s car that day. Mom thought something was wrong with one of the wheels on her car, so we went to Sperry New Holland where he worked at the time and traded cars before heading to Louisville. When we pulled in our driveway, there sat our neighbor’s car. Her name was Patty but mom had a “pet” name for her which was true but not nice. Can you tell they didn’t get along? Also, parked right underneath the security light next to our driveway, sat mom’s car. The front was smashed and the windshield busted.
Dad had been test driving it on the gravel road that ran beside our house. For whatever reason, he lost control and hit a tree. He walked back home but realized he couldn’t talk because his mouth was messed up. He couldn’t call for help. So then he walked to Patty’s house, which was a pretty far distance for an injured man to walk. She was having some sort of a “hen party” that night. He broke that up real quick when he comes walking up to her house with a bloodied face. She called for help. Then she drove to our house and waited for us to come home so we would know what was going on. I thought it was nice of her. Not sure mom ever thought that.
Mom came unglued! She was screaming and crying that he was going to die or maybe he was already dead and what was she going to do? This went on for quite a while. You must realize, mom was already on her downward spiral from Bubber’s death (read the post “Praying for a Miracle”). This was just 3 years later. My sister called. Patty had called her and told her what had happened. Mom ended up taking me to my sister’s house (I was 14 at the time and I wasn’t about to stay out on the ridge by myself – too many weirdo neighbors).
As you can guess by now, Dad was in that ambulance that we met. God and his mysterious ways. Dad did survive. His teeth were gone and he had a plastic piece put in for his chin that required several surgeries. He chest was black and blue from the steering wheel. His head had smashed the window. His knees left two dents in the dash! Whenever I get the urge to pray for someone, I do it!
Do you ever get that urge? I’d love to hear your story. Please leave me a question or comment. I’d love to connect!