A lesson learned

Yesterday I had a powerful message sent to me by whatever power watches over us all.

I was driving out to go see kindergeek for his birthday party and meet b0neZ for the drive home. As I was driving I was also (stupidly) texting b0neZ and reading email of my phone. Now, I wasn't dumb enough to be sitting there typing while driving - I'm not that good - but I was reading whatever was coming in.

As I left Dayton on a wide open stretch of Hwy 50 with no one in sight, I heard an email buzz come from my phone. Easy, keep eyes on road, use finger to click the link. Wait for the page to pop up and then take quick glances at the screen and read.

Unfortunately, people have a habit of quoting ENTIRE NOVELS in their forum posts so, in order to get to the new stuff, i had to scroll down. Easy, put finger on the down button and just keep it there with periodic glances to make sure I hadn't scrolled by it.

THUD-THUNK!

WTF?? Rearview - something lying in the road. What it is? I can't tell, window's too dirty back there. I didn't see anyone - there were no cars... turn around, go back and check. There, pale yellow, what is it? I can't see, wait for a break in traffic, turn around again, drive by slowly, there in the headlights - a cat. Someone's cat. Some little kids cat lying dead in the road. Song on the radio - We'd make great pets - I'm going to be sick. Keep driving.. keep driving.. oh gawd, poor cat, I'm sorry. I didn't see you.

Few minutes later - another email buzz. No, I'm not going to check, make sure the cover is over the screen so its not too bright, WTF?!?!!

A hitchhiker was standing on the white line, wearing dark/black clothes, at 8:30PM, on a storm night.

If I had checked my email, I would have swirved just enough, while staying in my lane, to have struck that guy.

Thank you little cat. It took your life to teach me what I was doing wrong.

I would have moved you off the road so no one else hit you - but you weren't there when I went back later last night.