Reverse

Sometime yesterday the we had a short discussion about car accidents, during which Professor Ferry told us about her two near-fatal experiences. She mentioned that she had heard somewhere that if you relax and don’t tense up during an accident, you are less likely to be seriously injured. Today I found myself trying as hard as I could to apply that theory.

Don’t worry, there was no accident. It happened like this: As you probably have already guessed, we were in a cab (Prof. Ferry, Nora, and I). On the highway. The cab driver, clearly not sure of the best route, signaled right to get off the highway, then turned off the signal, then turned it back on again, started veering right, then back left, and finally back right again. We were in the lane for the off ramp. He started to slow down, examining the signs carefully, as he and Professor Ferry speak back and forth. The car slowed to a stop. At this point, we’re about a car and a half’s length onto the off ramp. Thinking for a few agonizing seconds, the cab driver now realizes that the highway is in fact the best way to go, and puts the car in REVERSE. Professor Ferry, in a very impressively calm voice, says, “Well I’ve never done this before…” For a few terrifying moments I looked out the back window at the oncoming traffic. Then I remembered our previous conversation about near-fatal car accidents: I had to relax if I was going to be hit by that van doing 60mph and still have use of my arms and legs a year later. I turned around to face forward, and concentrated hard on relaxing every muscle in my body.