The Free Radical

Is everyone going through tough times right now? It sure seems like it! Comfort and ease are scarce when absolutely everything is in flux.

So, a few days ago, I was driving back home from Sunday breakfast at my parents’ house, which is just five minutes away from where I live, when I encountered a little mishap. I was driving on the highway just under the speed limit, beginning the ascent of the final little hill before arriving home, when the back end of my truck tried to pass the front end of my truck. The back end pulled out into the passing lane, perhaps not realizing that it was rigidly affixed to the front end of the truck and really rather obligated to follow it. I steered into the swerve, avoiding even touching the brakes– like any good Canadian would. (We don’t much like the ice, but we respect it.) The back end swung the other way like a pendulum, now trying to pass me on the shoulder. Crazy fucker! If you’ve ever watched a driver fish-tailing on ice, it’s really quite amazing how much frantic steering can be crammed into every nanosecond. My second overcorrection landed me in the ditch.

It was a pleasant ditch, as far as ditches go… not too steep or rocky, and just wide enough to admit a small Toyota truck into its trenchiness. I still don’t think I ever touched the brakes, but the deep snow in the ditch helped to slow us down before the tangled shrubbery on the far bank grabbed us and held us fast. Yes, ‘us’; Sitka was riding in the cab with me. She got thrown into the dash sideways and was far more surprised by the ordeal than hurt by it. (Dogs disdain seat belts, by the way.) As I unwrapped her from her awkward encirclement of the stick shift, she looked up to me with eyes that clearly asked “Dad, what just happened?”

“Demons,” could’ve been my answer. I was travelling, after all, below the speed limit on a relatively straight section of highway. There was really nothing to precipitate the incident as far as either of us could discern. (Sitka still looked at me suspiciously as though it might’ve been something I’d done.) Nope, a demon pushed me; I swear to God! And God said– in a strangely Quebecois accent– “Fuck dat! It was me!”

Or, at least, that’s how I choose to view it.

I read a lot these days about so many good people being attacked by unsavoury forces, attacking them for nothing more than the expressions of their goodness. Seems legit.

I’m pretty weird though; it’s the way I’m wired. There’s just something in my brain that is forever fixated on silver linings. I immediately set about finding the good in everything ‘bad’ that happens. I think crazy thoughts like “What might’ve happened if this incident hadn’t occurred and I continued on my merry way, along my habitual trajectory?”

A few things quickly come to mind. First, the truck was in desperate need of an oil change, and with the free BCAA tow to the service station in town, I didn’t even have to pay for the gas to get it to the shop. Somehow, in my complacent nature, I could never quite make the time for something as trivial as an oil change; every day I always found much ‘better’ things to do instead.

Next, I had to consider my tires. I’ve never sprung for the cost of switching seasonally to winter tires before. I certainly don’t drive much, but when I do– in winter– it’s often a bad rendering of the Ice Capades– minus the talent and the costumes. I’m all over the place! It’s mostly fun… but definitely dangerous! And I frequently have to rely on the kindness of others to help push me out of my minor winter predicaments.

Yup, I’m getting the winter tires now– studded even. Can you imagine if I’d have had the three dogs in the back of the truck– like I do almost every day– when I kissed the ditch? That could’ve ended very badly! Or what if there had been other traffic on the highway in the vicinity of my rebellious back end? I’m a danger to myself and others. I don’t like that. And with the current road conditions, I was afraid to go into town to retrieve my truck; I was scared to drive it again. And I really don’t like that!

Nope, I can’t give up my daily forest walks; they’re the only thing keeping me marginally sane. From now on, the truck will be properly outfitted for winter. And sadly, this is a conclusion I was unlikely to reach on my own… without a little nudge from that crazy french separatist God with his outrageous accent… or demon; whichever you prefer.

So, in conclusion, not only is it all good… now it’s even better!