A Sunny Saturday Afternoon Drunk Driving Story

A sunny Saturday afternoon.
Chores to do, sweep the garage.
A truck's engine revs out on the street.
Think, "That's odd - the road ends soon."
"They oughtta be slowing down by now."
Screech, thump, silence.
Motor cranks, won't start.
Walk a few yards down the street.
See pick-up truck that bounced off the end of the t-intersection.
Hood crinkled, radiator hissing.
"You guys need help?"
Engine still won't catch.
Driver gets out, has bloody nose.
"You guys okay?"
"Hit my nose on the steering wheel."
"What about him?"
"Aww, man! My friend..."
He's slumped over on the seat.
Reach in through driver's door.
"What's his name?""Jimmy."
"Hey Jimmy, can you hear me?"
No answer.
"Jimmy, you okay?"
Silence.
Gotta check his pulse.
Can't reach his arms.
Passenger-side windshield has a head imprint.
First-aid checklist kicking in.
Probable neck injuries, be careful.
Feel around his neck.
Hmm, he's a big guy, can't find pulse.
"Jimmy, can you hear me?"
Not sure if he's breathing.
No room in the cab to check.
Driver is stunned, sits on curb.
He reeks of booze.
Neighbour approaching on the run.
Tell him, "Call 9-1-1!"
"Car crash, serious injuries."
He sends his kid to get blankets.
"We gotta get this guy outta here."
Neck's probably broken, but he's not breathing.
Gotta move him.
Life over limb.
We open passenger door.
Open liquor on the floor of the cab.
Jimmy is heavy, hard to grab.
Smells like booze.
Lean in, heave and pull.
Lower Jimmy carefully onto the blankets on the ground.
Check for pulse.
Still none.
Am I doing this right?
"Where's the ambulance? - this is bad."
Someone dials again.
Gotta breathe for this guy.
Geez this is scary.
Sirens approaching.
Motorcycle cop rolls up.
I've done what I can...Haven't I?
Should be breathing into this guy.
More sirens.
Ambulance arrives.
They begin to work on Jimmy.
There's still no response...But lots of questions.
"Did you see what happened?"
Hope Jimmy's okay.
But I doubt he is.
They couldn't have been going very fast.
But fast enoughAnd no seatbelt.
How can the driver only have a busted noseand Jimmy's laying there with a broken neck?
Our street is only one block long.
The ambulance crew is working on him.
They take him away.
Hope he's okay.
He would have been okay, if he'd worn his seatbelt.
And the driver hadn't been drunk.
Jesus, he should be looking under the hood and telling his friend the radiator's shot.
But he's in the bus, and someone's gonna get the phone call later on saying Jimmy's gone.
I didn't know him.
But someone will miss him.
A sunny Saturday afternoon.
It could have been different.

by Rob deLange
May 2008