Chicken Schwarma and three survivors

Ate lunch yesterday at my favorite little Middle Eastern restaurant/grocery. It’s run by some Palestinian Israelis and is packed at lunch. I don't work nearby (or even in that town) much anymore, so it was a treat. Before the layoff I used to be a regular.

But the restaurant is located at a tee intersection, one of the busiest and most dangerous in town, so it’s tricky to get into and out of.

While sitting behind another vehicle at the top of the tee waiting to pull back out into traffic, a nasty accident happened yards away. I heard a loud WHUMP and watched an SUV roll over onto its roof just beyond the car in front of mine. Bystanders on all sides jumped out of their cars to help, cell phones to their ears.

The guy in the SUV had already crawled out of his vehicle and was retrieving stuff from inside and dialing his cell. He put his hand to his head periodically – maybe a minor concussion.

The woman driving the small car was getting out from behind the air bag. The left front of her car was crushed, but she appeared unhurt physically. But she stumbled over to the grass at the corner and rolled into a fetal position on the ground, sobbing and shaking uncontrollably, otherwise unresponsive. A moment later a man came over – also unhurt. He’d been her passenger.

Both vehicles were totaled. All passengers were alive and without even visible cuts or bruises. The SUV had rolled over.

Take what lessons you will.