WHAT IF? WHY?

Before I ate my bowl of organic cereal with almond milk, I turned on the radio to get the latest traffic and weather reports on KMJ 580 like I always do.

There was a report of an vehicle and pedestrian accident on the southbound 99 at Avenue 24 in Chowchilla occurring around 6:00 a.m.

As my wife and I got dressed for work, I kept an ear out on the latest on that accident.  The report was the same. 

I kissed my wife goodbye and got into my truck for my daily 52-mile one-way commute to Fresno.  My radio was tuned into KMJ 580.  The latest update was that there was a fatality due to a pedestrian trying to cross the lanes of southbound 99 and that CHP and medical crews were on the scene.  Time on the clock 6:32 a.m.

The early morning traffic started to back up about a mile from the Avenue 24 offramp as I drove in the number one lane.  Many impatient drivers decied to ride the shoulder to get to the Avenue 24 offramp or take the Avenue 24 1/2 exit and take the backroads to bypass the backup.

As I made my way under the Avenue 24 overcrossing, I spotted the emergency vehicles, CHP, tow truck, and a news van off on the right shoulder.  Traffic cones had been placed to preserve the scene.  Time on deck 6:50 a.m.

While slowly moving past the scene while driving in the number one lane and the median, I noticed skid marks that led to a white car off on the right shoulder.

Then I saw a very grisly scene I never say on any freeway...human entrails.  I spotted a shoe, a piece of athletic warmup pants, and parts of what I thought to be an arm and leg, and the yellow tarp covering the body of the deceased.  There was blood everywhere.  It was not a pretty sight.

I saw a second set of skid marks leading to a dark-grey Mustang with the rear facing the guardrails on the right shoulder and two individuals standing close to the vehicle.

There was also another vehicle parked just past the Mustang on the right shoulder.

As I made my way past and accelerated, my thoughts and prayers were of that person's family.

I got to work and tried to monitor the updates of that accident.  Reports came in giving few details.

At first, my thoughts were that woman was crossed the northbound lanes, scaled the median shrubbery and tried to run across the road.  Road conditions at the time I was driving were light fog and slick roads.  She may have lost her footing, slipped on the slick road, and fell into oncoming traffic.

Later in the day, I read the full account of what had happened...

A 43-year-old woman was driving northbound on the 99 when her red GMC pickup ran out of gas.  She egressed her vehicle and walked up the offramp to overcrossing over the 99 to purchase a gasoline at the one of the gas stations in the area.  She was seen walking around 6 a.m. on the right shoulder of southbound 99, south of Avenue 24 undercrossing.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old male driver from Chowchilla was driving a 2001 Saturn southbound at about 60 mph in the fast lane.

The pedestrian tried to cross the the southbound lanes of the freeway, walking east across the southbound lanes. The male driver saw the pedestrian running with a gas can directly ahead of his vehicle. Before he was able to stop, the front of his Saturn struck the pedestrian.

The woman was ejected onto the roadway, where she was struck by two more cars.

What if she had taken the Avenue 24 overcrossing back to her vehicle?  Why did she cross from the right shoulder?  What if she had filled up with gas before leaving Madera?  These "what ifs" and "why" questions don't have answers.  Was she going to work?  Was she going to pick up someone from work?  Was she taking an early weekend trip to visit relatives?  These questions only her family knows.

Our condolences to her family.

MAKING IT A GOOD DAY...

If I ever had one of those days, it finally happened.

I needed gas, so I went to Costco to fill up and got only ten dollars and some change since I forgot to transfer money into the account.

Then, I stopped at Starbucks to get a grande black coffee not knowing my gift card only had $1.25 on it.  I was fortunate enough to get some change out of my vehicle.

Then, as I got into my vehicle, I spilled Starbucks coffee on my khaki pants.

Then, as I made it up the stairwell and used my swipe card to open up the door to the office, I dropped that coffee.

Then, my boss calls in to say that she won't be in due to her child's illness.

Then, as my day progressed, I sent two letters via email to the wrong people.

Then, my computer decides to go south on me.  A call was made to the IS Department at corporate to address the issue.  I wasn't the only one in the office with the problem I was experiencing.

Then, while walking to the break room with my lunch in my hand, I guess I did not push down the lid enough and all of my lunch splashed on the tile floor.

So, no coffee, no lunch, no boss, two mistakes.  It was finally time to go home.

Around Avenue 12 while heading north on the 99, while driving in the number two lane, a CHP pulled up beside me. 

Where in the heck did he come from? 

I thought I was going to get pulled over, but he sped on past me. I glanced at my speedometer.  I was "hovering" above 75 mph.  The speed limit on this section of the 99 is 70 mph.  Maybe the CHP was giving me a "warning."  Whew!

While driving in the number three lane south of the 152 and 99 interchange, I happened to glance to my left and noticed a vehicle with a very old gentleman in the passenger seat.  I would say in his nineties.  He was waving his red Marine Corps hat at me as they slowly made their way past me.

As the vehicle moved forward ahead of me, I noticed the circular Marine Corps sticker on the back glass on the passenger side.

I thought to myself, "I had a bad day.  Time to make it a good day."

So, I accelerated up to and next to the vehicle.  The old man and I made eye contact, and I rendered a salute in his direction.  His reaction was that of a little kid.  He was smiling from ear to ear still enthusiastically waving his Marine Corps hat.

As they made their way west on the 152 and my way north on the 99, I smiled for the first time today. 

I don't think I will ever see him again, but I hope I made his day.

He sure did make mine.