Doug and I were driving home from dinner with Wayne and Vicki and I texted him the photo of Doug and I. He sent me back a great shot of his family. Willow and Erica's girls are in the back seat. They are one happy family! We have never met Erica, but she and her girls are part of our family! We just love her! This picture just made me smile all night!
Shortly after this photo, while Doug was driving, we had a "near miss" that scared me more than I believe I've ever been frightened in my lifetime. We were on Highway 89-91, which runs north and south through the entire state of Utah. A Main Street that's hundreds of miles long...the old highway before I-15. We came to a traffic light at a busy intersection, five lanes with a left-turn light. Heading south was a little boy. I'm talking LITTLE boy. Doug guessed five. I said six at the most. The kid was walking alone on this busy HIGHWAY. ALONE! I said to Doug, "Look at the little boy. Holy cow, he's too young to be alone on this highway. Where's a parent or sibling?" We looked everywhere, certain that there would be a grown-up somewhere. Nada. The kid walked right into the intersection, where the traffic had the green light, crossed and came to the corner. He never looked. There were cars a bit back but most of the traffic had already gone because the light was green.
THEN, the kid turns and starts crossing THE HIGHWAY!!! We were first and in the left-turn lane. This a BUSY intersection!!!! The kid never slowed down at the corner to look before he turned on to the highway. Our light was now green and he's walking across it. He walked in front of the outside two lanes and then keeps on bopping in front of us. We are looking ahead and there's a large blue pick-up truck flying south in our direction! I'm SCREAMING!!!! "He's gonna hit him! He's gonna hit him! He's gonna kill him!!!!" Doug lays on the horn! JUST HOLDING IT DOWN! Both of us are in total adrenaline shock. The truck barrels through the intersection and just before he hits the kid, he slams his breaks, the kid keeps walking like nothing's happening at all into the other lane. We were absolutely certain that if the truck had been hit, he would have flown a few hundred feet and been dead instantly. We were shaking. The truck driver was probably wetting his pants. The kid just kept walking "laa-dee-dah" like he was the only one for miles.
Doug still had his hand laid hard on the horn. He turned and still didn't let it up. We drove along side the kid on the street, STILL LAYING ON THE HORN, in hopes that some parent somewhere would look outside, step outside, something! We debated on whether to call 911. This kid was TOO young to be outside alone, let alone at least a block or two from home without supervision and certainly to be walking alone on the major highway in Utah!!!! When we arrived at Texas Roadhouse, both of us were shaking and it took about 20 minutes to get over the adrenaline rush. Seriously, I had nightmares about that kid all night long. I could not believe how close that little child came to losing his life and he didn't even seem to realize it. The kid finally looked at Doug, as he was honking and driving along side of him, like, "WHAT!?!?!?" GRRRRRR!!!!! Some people's kids!!! YIKES!!!
And in other news...
- Have I mentioned that it's hot!?
- Have I mentioned that Sonic Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshakes are HEAVENLY!?
- Have I mentioned that it feels like mid July?!
- Have I mentioned that LIFE IS GOOD!!! IT IS!!!
Wow! I wonder if this child is deaf or perhaps autistic. I would have called 911 to have had him checked out. I hope he's okay!
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