BFF 192 ~ Close Call…

 

 

When I posted this topic to BFF, I didn’t have a clue about what I could write. I tossed ideas around in my mind for several days while I considered whether I would write a real experience or fiction. If real – which one? And so it went around and around in my mind…until yesterday…

Not much exciting goes on in my neighborhood. It’s a quiet, tree lined street and most of us are older folk. One hot, lazy day follows another here. Just a typical day around here... So, when I took my little darlings for a walk yesterday, I wasn’t expecting any kind of excitement…

My tiny terrors did their usual sniffing and shuffling. Our walks can hardly be called walks. We’re all old you know. Once I get them both going in the same direction, it is pretty much stop and sniff every few feet. I don’t get much exercise, but it is the highlight of their day. I noticed a neighbor was up in a cherry picker trimming his trees. In a neighborhood full of old oak trees, it is not unusual for someone to be having their trees trimmed. All in all, it was a normal day around here.

We were just past my house when suddenly; there were white fire flashes, popping, crackling and the loudest hum coming from the bouncing electrical lines. I knew in an instant that the tree trimmer had connected with the power lines. My heart was beating out of my chest as I ran down the street yelling “Are you all right? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT??? I was really scared for that guy in the cherry picker. People up and down the street came running out of their homes. Seeing me running, some were shouting “What happened??” I couldn’t stop. I had to know if that guy was all right. I could see flames licking at the leaves of the tree. I feared the very worst. I kept running… Just before I got to his house, I saw the cherry picker beginning to lower back to the ground. The man next door was almost crowing…”He’s all right! HE’S ALL RIGHT!!!” as he ran around in his socks and almost dancing in the street. His little dog took the opportunity to run across the street to meet my dogs. On top of all the confusion and the sheer terror of the whole event, my tiny terrors got scrappy with the little bull dog…

But, all is well that ends well. The most important thing is that the man in the cherry picker was okay.

Whew! That sure was a close call….

 

Darlene Cirinna

May 15, 2012