We Both Got a Second Chance

A gorgeous day, first day back at school. I could hardly wait! It was still dark when I left, On two medications that should have never been prescribed together. But they were, and by the same doctor, two days apart. I knew I was going to be killed about sixteen miles into my journey, And I had an hour to go. I was going to be dead, and I deserved to be, and I knew it. My heart was beating a thousand beats a second. It was not even light outside. Why had I left so early? Worse…. Why was I going ninety-two miles an hour on gravel, Heading toward Dead Man’s Curve, In my beautiful new silver Thunderbird with stars painted on the side? There was no way I was going to make this eighty-six degree curve and I knew it. I yelled “God, I have had a great life!” right before the crash. We plunged into a six foot ditch and Then we crashed into a twenty foot embankment of earth. My car and I. And we hit HARD. My first thought when my eyes opened seconds later was…. Death does not seem that bad. There was an overwhelming feeling of disappointment. The most disappointed I have ever been. So death is good? I was instantly confused, never having died before. I bravely looked down to take one last look at my body. And with surprise, realized that I was still wearing it. I thought probably my legs would be crushed. They were not. The car door was jammed. I rolled down the window And pushed myself out, glad no one was coming to see me Do this in my pretty brown dress with the enormous white polka dots. Two nice people came by in a truck a few minutes later. Not weird, as this was the country. They gave me a lift back to my town, sixteen miles away. They told me they would leave me on the outskirts Because they had to get to work. But they liked me, so they took me all the way home. I ran into the house and yelled “Where are the keys to your truck? I have to get to work.” My husband knows me well. He threw me his keys, and I ran out again. I showed the doctor later in the week these two prescriptions he had given me two days apart. He was shocked and said “no one should have ever prescribed these two pills together.” So I guess we were both given a second chance, for I have kept this a secret for twenty years. Written January 20, 2019 Contest: Second Chances Sponsor: Chantelle Anne Cooke