What Happened???

This evening the girls & I got home about 5:30 or so. Not long after we got here, Phil called. He asked, "What are you doing?" That was an odd thing to ask, as he was out riding his motorcycle today coming home from his mom's. I told him, then asked, knowing this was not a normal call, "What happened?" I can't even remember his exact words, but it was something like, "I laid the bike down." I had learned that "laying down the bike" doesn't mean you just lay it down for the fun of it. It means you wrecked. I asked if he was okay & he said, "Yes, but can you bring some large bandages?" Um, being "okay" doesn't normally mean "Bring large bandages." We figured out where he was (yea for mapquest) & left to go find him. Here's the story.

He was riding in the country & took a right turn, but turned way too wide & ended up in the "shoulder" or the oncoming lane. First, that in itself could have been a catastrophe. The "shoulder" was gravel (it was in the country). His rear tire "gripped" and he hit the accelerator (I don't think he meant to do that as hard as he did). The bike shot out---he went off to the right & the bike went off to the left & fell over. He tumbled head over heels for me. Oh, sorry, that was a long time ago. He just tumbled head over heels. He had on his expensive riding jacket and his full face helmet. By the grace of God those protected him. He scraped his elbow just below where the jacket shielded his elbow. If he'd had on just a t-shirt, we think he'd be in the hospital waiting for reconstructive surgery. If he'd not had on a helmet, well, he'd probably be dead or in very serious condition. Also, by God's grace, there was a truck driver right there in a delivery truck. It's Sunday. It was in the country. There were NO drivers anywhere near there when I drove by to see where it happened. The truck driver sat there for some time, as if he needed to decide which way to go. He saw Phil fall & helped him get the bike standing upright again. The sheriff then came out after Phil called, and he called a tow truck. The sheriff stayed with him til the tow truck arrived. I asked if they sat in the car where it was cool. No. Oh, I guess he wanted to save gas money. No, he left the car running! Probably some law about people being in the car. Who knows!

Phil has pretty good scrapes on his knee & below his elbow, but the worst part is that he is VERY sore on his left side. I wonder if he bruised something inside. No cuts or anything on the back (his jacket didn't fare so well). I'll put some Pain-a-trate on it tonight (melaleuca's stuff like ben gay) if he'll let me.

Now, I don't know if you've made the connection, but tomorrow is his first day on the new job. Yep, it is. He will be hobbling into work, I suspect. Egads---if he'd been really hurt, our insurance would have ended on the 31st this month & he wouldn't have started his new job, so no new insurance. Wow, another praise.

On the way home, there was a bicycle rider at the top of a hill we were approaching. I slowed down b/c Natalie, the backseat driver, told let me know there was a bike rider there. Phil said, "He's on the other side. You can speed up." I just said, "I don't think you have room to talk. You are in no position to tell ME how to drive!" and he laughed.

He is very sore. He doesn't think he's broken anything, but is definitely bruised somewhere inside. I might have to help him get dressed for work.

It's not how I planned to spend my Sunday evening, nor is it how he planned to spend the night before starting a new job. I think the worst of it is that one of his co-workers (since he knows them already) told him a few weeks ago that his wife wouldn't "let him get a motorcycle." I told Phil I never realized I could have had that much sway! This guy will surely remind Phil that is WHY he doesn't ride them!

Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you that both the sheriff and the tow truck driver, both motorcycle riders, regaled Phil with stories of their accidents.

Off to iron some slacks. Pray for Phil to feel better!