Downer Day

Yesterday was actually going pretty well.  I was still feeling pretty good about the return trip to Keene and even though it was stifling hot things were looking up.  The upstairs air-conditioning doesn’t work so I’ve got to get a technician in today to fix that.  My wife operates in a very narrow temperature range despite her tropical upbringing. 

I was on my way home from work when I realized I had forgotten a couple of errands I was supposed to do.  I have five separate routes I have taken to/from work and I was on the northernmost route and had to get to the southern route (of course) to accomplish the mission.  It’s kind of cool I’ve lived in a place long enough to make the transition through a series of back roads.  Never underestimate the importance of reconnaissance – something that drives my wife crazy (also why she always gets lost). 

I had accomplished my assigned tasks and was just pulling into the driveway when my cell phone started going crazy.  I learned that one of my bus drivers had somehow driven his brand new bus directly into a house.  I said a quick hi and bye to the wife and headed back in.  Strangely the accident occurred on one of those back roads I used to travel from north to south.  It must have happened less than five minutes after I passed through. 

Not Where the Bus Should Be

I arrived at the scene and started coordinating with the police, ensuring they knew what wires they could cut.  I’ve got a great team working for me and soon I was surrounded by them helping the police and emergency workers find their way around the bus.  The driver was still trapped in the bus and screaming in pain (multiple fractures to legs will do that).  I was amazed he had survived because there is not a lot between the driver and the windshield.  He had plowed into this house at what seemed like full speed and had knocked the house a full ten feet off of its foundation.  We’re guessing he had some kind of medical event like a seizure because the brakes were never applied.  He was eventually cut out of the bus a full and a half after the accident and loaded into an ambulance. 

Before the Bus Arrived The Left Side of House was Even With Stone Wall

The worst part was the house was occupied and a mother and three young children had already been transported to the hospital along with six bus passengers.  At that point I was just going through the motions because my sole concern was the health of those poor people who had been sitting at home or riding the bus when that bus crashed through the wall.  We’ll eventually figure out what happened but a huge sense of futility embossed itself.

Another View

It wouldn’t leave even during the final Bruins meltdown of the year or phone calls from both of the kids (something that always lifts my spirits).  A huge thunderstorm blew through to add to the mood and the thundershirt seems to finally have some effect on Buddy’s panic attacks.  After the Bruins debacle my wife wanted to head to bed but I couldn’t go until I knew something more about the people on the bus and in that house.  I turned on the late news and there was my bus in living color on all four channels.  Then the best news of all, they were interviewing all three of the kids who just had some minor cuts and a complete load of the bejesus scared out of them. 

The Late Night News

I learned this morning hat the driver will eventually recover.  The house will have to torn down and the $600K bus is a total loss, but those kids are okay.  Those kids are okay.  Those kids are okay.   I’m going to keep saying that to myself all day.

One Small Victory