Scary Close Call

Continuing with my shameless self promotion of the new novel Fraidy Hole, I invited readers to submit their all time scariest moment. This one is from my son Mark. It's why so many parents are prematurely gray.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kelly Owen and I decided to go to Kansas City once right after school let out for the summer. We were in Stillwater and read where there was a big Motocross race at Arrowhead Stadium and wanted to go see the race. On a whim, we decided to pack up and head to KC. When we got there, we were stunned to find out the race had been cancelled, for a while it turns out, since we got the information from a motocross magazine published in December.


Needless to say we were disappointed, but decided to make the most of it. Heck we were in Kansas City, there is Worlds of Fun, and lots of girls to chase. We decided on the girl chasing, and checked into the finest Motel 6 in town and went out that night on the hunt. We had fun, and we met some girls, but only woke up with a horrific hangover with no babes next to us. Defeated, we decided to head back to Tulsa on highway 169.

It had rained hard the night before and the rain for the drive home, while not a downpour, was enough to keep the road wet. We were in Mom and Dads ugly green Oldsmobile, ( so I guess there must have been a trip to Tulsa before leaving to KC), The road had two lanes with grooves that were filled with water. I was driving and had the car straddling the grooves so as not to hydroplane. I was to the left of the grooves and hugging the center line when a Diesel pulling two very large trailers appeared on the horizon. He was also hugging the middle.

I am not sure if it was because of my groggy head, or what exactly was the cause of my stupidity, but looking back, I should have just slowed WAY down and got on the right side of the road, but I waited too long too take action.

When I hit the water the car immediately went sideways, the back end coming around to my right side. I turned the wheel to the right to correct my path as our current path was heading toward the center of the road and right toward the very large truck. It was all happening very very fast. I remember my friend Kelly shouting "take your foot off the brake" which I did, and at that time we were just about to hit the second trailer that truck was pulling. We were literally inches away from death when the car grabbed and stuck me in the path of the living. It was so close that it shook both of us to the core, and we had to pull over for about fifteen or twenty minutes and regain our composure.

Thank God there was no texting back then, I just don't know if I would have had the time to get that email off and over correct at the same time !!!!!! Just kidding.

Kelly most likely saved both of our lives that day, but reminding me ( which I already knew) to get that foot off the brake when sliding. It is a natural reaction to brake in times like this. Thanks for yelling, Kelly!!!!!