This is a continuation of two previous threads:
September
October
November started enthusiastically, but little did I know what lay ahead.
The first weekend found me spending a good deal of time at preparatory Communion services.
I should probably explain, that in the Highlands of Scotland you could probably go to a "Memorial" service most weekends. The time leading up to the Sunday morning Communion is full of opportunities to go to services to prepare for that event.
My wife had a busy weekend ahead, so I took advantage of the time to enjoy some Christian fellowship.
One of the key speakers, for this weekend, is a new friend of mine from one of the Scottish islands. I also knew that I would be visiting him, the following week, on business. So, all in all, I enjoyed myself doing what I like to do. Each to their own.
Midweek we had fire training, as there is a new round of Health and Safety issues had been brought to light, where I work. So we enjoyed letting off fire extinguishers and fire hoses. It also gave us a chance to clean the car, for free (it's a Scottish thing - we like things that are free ).
Tuesday 12th November found me in the midst of a road traffic accident.
Happily minding my own business, driving down a fast stretch of road towards the main cities of Scotland, I found a car travelling towards me on my side of the road, at speed.
Time was short, so given the choice of a high speed collision or the kerbside, I took the car off the road.
As I bumped up the verge, the joker who had gone for an extended overtake, skidded between my vehicle and the cars that he had been overtaking.
As I then wrestled to control the car, it came back onto the road (it was a slow bend) span 180* and continued travelling backwards.
To be frank, as my car started travelling across the path of oncoming traffic, all I could think of was "Shit!!! What's going to hit me?".
That was soon supplanted with "Am I going to roll?" as the car came off the other side of the road, and down a 45* embankment.
By the time I started hitting fence posts, I didn't know what to think.
I think I took out about 20 of them, before the car shuddered to a halt.
A guy, who witnessed the whole scene, pulled up to help. Apparently the other guy had overtaken him, just before it happened, travelling at about 75-80 mph. I know that I was travelling at 60 mph, so I dread to think what might have happened, if we had even clipped fenders.
Miraculously, the guy who caused to accident came back (probably to finish me off, if I was unconscious). In all reality he was quite shaken up, as well he might be. It was a retired couple, visiting the Highlands, on vacation. He'd been a little overconfident in his overtaking ability, in a new car, and didn't get in in time when the traffic bunched up ahead of him.
We exchanged insurance details, and he helped me examine the damage to the vehicle.
The front fender had been ripped clean off, the rear and all panels and doors were stoved in. The rear exhaust pipe had been sheared in two, under the force of the collisions, and remained jammed under the front of the vehicle, along with the contents of the trunk. The trunk had sprung open, jettisoning the contents, and wouldn't close properly. One rear tyre was burst, and the other wrapped up in barbed wire. The mirrors were broken off, and yet all the glass remained intact.
Miraculously I had exited the car without even a scratch. Not a soul was injured, in the filming of this commercial!
I remember being asked if I had a tow-rope, and going to the rear of the car to try and find it, from the trunk. I commented that my wife must have removed it, because it wasn't there, only to later find it underneath the car.
If nothing else, the experience has taught me just how fragile life is, and how quickly it could be over. I cherish every moment, because a click of my fingers later, it could be "Game Over".
I'm going to throw in a gripe here, because my insurance company were worse that useless. I ended up being instructed to take a taxi to my next destination, which cost 80 (approx. $130). Strangely enough that was exactly the sum left in my wallet. I don't usually carry money around with me, but for a change I did, for this trip.
Well, the rest of the week went by in a bit of a daze.
I had a series of meetings to attend, throughout Scotland, and I suspect that I didn't contribute an awful lot to them.
The week ended with me visiting my sister, in Glasgow. She had more sense than me, and had stopped attending meetings about 5 years ago. We had a great time, especially with my little nephew, who is a darling at 14 months. She even came to church with me, on the Sunday, which I hadn't expected. She and her fiance then stayed back to hear me, as I spoke to the Youth Fellowship of that church, about my experiences pre and post leaving the JW's.
Up to this point my sister had succeeded in avoiding the Gestapo, with a little help from her bro . December was to prove a change of scene...
(Edited to fix Hyperlinks)
Edited by - LittleToe on 23 December 2002 15:56:40