So on Wednesday, I went and registered my truck in Oklahoma FINALLY. I've been trying to do that for about the last 8 months, but I never got around to it. There was an issue with the title, I couldn't provide proof of residency, the list went on and on. But finally, Wednesday, I walked into the Tag Agency, walked out with an Oklahoma plate and proclaimed my truck to be an official resident of Oklahoma.
Apparently. This angered the Gods. Someone did not want me to have an Oklahoma truck.
I left Oklahoma City at about 2:00 and got into Amarillo right around 6. I call my dad and he tells me that I might think about stopping, the roads are starting to get bad. Well, I decide to keep going, I-40 felt okay. I past Vega, Texas and saw a Days Inn, but still the roads were okay, no moisture was coming down. And then, out of nowhere, like a giant thunder clap, the road turned into a sheet of ice. I slowed down to about 30 and felt okay for about a mile. Then I saw a curved overpass with a bridge and I know, just from seeing it, that bridge was going to be trouble. My truck is terrible in bad weather; there's no weight in the back of it so it really doesn't take much for my day to be ruined. I kept it steady, got about halfway up and then a gust of wind grabbed ahold of the back end of my truck. I don't remember a lot; I think I just closed my eyes and screamed.
When the car stopped, I was in the median, my car was completely turned around and my bumper had smacked the guard rail for I-40 east-bound. I'm shaking, but I get out of the car and actually survey the damage to the guard rail before I survey the damage to my truck. My bumper was moved about 3 inches to the right. It looks like someone took a sledge hammer to my bumper and just knocked it a few times. After surveying the damage, I get back in my car and decide to turn it around, so it's actually facing the direction I want to go, turned off the engine and called my mom to try and figure out what exactly to do. There was no way my truck was going to make it out of the median. As soon as I say, "Hi Momma", I hear tires squeal behind me. I look in my rear view mirror and watch a Jeep slam right into my truck bed.
That moment, those three seconds, were the scariest thing I have ever experienced. I literally had a flash in my eyes. It wasn't any kind of white light, but it was just completely blinding. I'm sure it was every, single nerve ending and muscle I had screaming the tensing, but really, I saw something. And I'm quite glad I didn't have time to process what could have happened in the moment.
What did happen is still on the level of unspeakable. The right corner of my truck's bed is smashed in a good 3 feet. The other car had about the same amount of damage, but on the left side. I guess the funny part of the story is the wrecking company DROVE my truck, half-bed and all, to the salvage yard. My engine's totally fine. But seeing her like that, all smashed up, man, was that ever a heartbreaker. I didn't take any pictures. There's just some things you don't want to remember.
The guy who hit was actually an alright dude. I felt pretty bad for him; he'd just bought that Jeep on Sunday. The wrecking company gave us all a ride to the nearest motel, the very same Days Inn I had considered stopping at, and I spent a very snowy and sleepless night in Vega, Texas. Dad and brother Chase came in from Tucumcari and picked me up the next day and here I stay. It's been good to be here hanging out with siblings. It's been just the right amount of excitement and relaxation; I don't have much time to reflex about things but it's not stressful.
Tomorrow, I'll head into Pampa to see Grandma and other families. Then Dad'll drop me off at the Amarillo airport on Monday where I have a super-cheap Southwest flight back to Oklahoma City (the thought of being in a Greyhound for 5 hours with how much my neck hurts is just a bit much to compute right now) and I'll pick up a rental car at the airport. That is, if I can even get into Oklahoma City. You guys got some snow or something?
Insurance will be evaluating Joan Rivers the truck on Monday, hope for good things cuz there's no way this girl can afford a new car right now. I'm just trying to wrap my head around all of it right now. Lots of people have called me in the past few days and I must apologize because I'm sure I haven't been making much sense. It sort of feels like my brain is running on a check list. But I appreciate all of you. And if there's one thing that reminds you of how lucky you are and how good the people in your life are, it's a massive car wreck. So thanks, friends. And hey, Merry Christmas.
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