I don’t know if this happens with any of you. I don’t mean if you are ever stopped behind a truck, because I know most of you are – at some point – or have been in the past. But when I’m stopped behind a truck that has something strapped on at a slant, my mind wanders.
I begin to picture the straps coming loose and objects hurdling toward my car. In this case, the top few “slats” (or whatever they were) would have ended up in my chest, as close as I can determine. And I had a feeling that the longer the light took to change, the better the chances were of that actually happening. Which would only be true if the straps were slipping, but one never knows.
There are times on the highway when I’m passing one of those big flatbed trucks with a load of pipes approximately six inches in diameter. I get stuck beside it when traffic doesn’t move like I expected it to. Unlike the truck in the picture, not only is it two and a half times longer, but the pipes are shaking and the straps are straining. Then my mind goes into overdrive.
In both instances, the main thought that occupies my nervous mind is ” what would I do if they came loose?” Which leads very quickly to “what the hell can I do?” When the obvious answer is – not a damn thing. Which is disconcerting to me, because I drive with an awareness of what move I need to make at any moment.
I reach a point of calm panic. I can’t even enjoy the song on the radio that I like. Then the person who has been holding us up moves over. I move on past the truck and the incident is over. Until someone doesn’t drive like he should and the whole scene is replayed again. I consider myself lucky that none of the scenarios have come to pass. And then it occurs to me that it could still happen. Which guarantees the next time will be worse – in my mind.
Anyone else have the same sort of thing happen to you?
Peace be with you.
