Musings From the Coffeehouse #3

Near Death and The Big Apple

Last week I traveled to New York to meet with my editor and marketing team about my upcoming novel JUSTICE FOR SARA. My family loves the city, so I arranged the meeting around Mardi Gras, so we could all go. (Our travel just happened to coincide with a blizzard named Nemo, but that’s a story for another time.)

This trip brought to mind our last similarly scheduled trip and what I fondly call the Near Death in The Big Apple incident. Although a repost from several years ago, I decided I needed to share it with you here.

About midnight, we were walking down 42nd street, heading back to our hotel. It was snowing. Cold but magically lovely. A squad car flew by, lights flashing, siren screaming. It was followed by another. Every few moments another squad car raced by. We started counting them. 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . .

We reached the corner of 42nd and 5th and stopped, waiting for the light. Here came number 8, really flying.

But coming from the other direction was a cab.

With a sense of horror, I realized neither vehicle was going to stop. Sure enough, they collided. As if in super-slow-mo, both vehicles began sliding right at us, standing on the corner.

As if on a director’s cue and without a word, we all turned and ran. I felt like I was living a scene from one of my novels. Or a Bruce Willis movie. Only, this hadn't been product of my imagination. Or of Hollywood.

I was stopped by the double glass doors of a building. The end of the road, so to speak. In my mind’s eye, I saw the vehicles still sliding, crashing through me and the glass doors I was pressed against.

When I wasn't flattened, I looked over my shoulder. The two cars had stopped, settling directly over where my family and I had been standing. Car parts littered the sidewalk.

It could have been a tragedy. One of those horrendous stories you read about--Entire family killed in freak sidewalk two-car-collision. But it wasn't, thank God. We walked away, all chattering at once about the Big Apple moment we would never forget.
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Published on February 21, 2013 09:26
Comments Showing 1-12 of 12 (12 new)    post a comment »
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message 1: by Kathy (new)

Kathy Holy crap!!! That's one for the book!! haha. Thank God you were all OK. You were meant to keep on writing!!!


message 2: by Suzie (new)

Suzie So glad your family is ok
It could of been a bad one WOW glad you all ok


message 3: by Trude (new)

Trude YIKES...would have given me nightmares for awhile for sure! Glad you were all safe


message 4: by Candy (new)

Candy Ostrom Thank god your all okay I love all your books how can I preorder t
his book


message 5: by Robin (new)

Robin Beach My heart is pounding! That was like reading a page out of one of your books. Thank the powers to be that all of you are here today. By any chance, did you ever go back and visit that spot?


message 6: by Peggy (new)

Peggy Wow that must have been one big scar for you.

Thank goodness you were not hurt.
You could almost make a story out of that scar.
Glad y'all are ok and no one got hurt.
Very scary inded.
Peggy


message 7: by Erica (new)

Erica Spindler Kathy wrote: "Holy crap!!! That's one for the book!! haha. Thank God you were all OK. You were meant to keep on writing!!!"

Thanks, Peggy!


message 8: by Erica (new)

Erica Spindler Marilyn wrote: "Oh my goodness Erica, I was literally holding my breath while reading this. I'm so thankful you and your family were spared...Angels had you surrounded and protected!!"

Agreed! Thanks!


message 9: by Erica (new)

Erica Spindler Suzie wrote: "So glad your family is ok
It could of been a bad one WOW glad you all ok"


Thanks, Suzie!


message 10: by Erica (new)

Erica Spindler Trude wrote: "YIKES...would have given me nightmares for awhile for sure! Glad you were all safe"

Definitely!


message 11: by Erica (new)

Erica Spindler Candy wrote: "Thank god your all okay I love all your books how can I preorder t
his book"


Thanks, Candy! Keep checking Amazon or Barnes and Noble for pre-order information!


message 12: by Erica (new)

Erica Spindler Peggy wrote: "Wow that must have been one big scar for you.

Thank goodness you were not hurt.
You could almost make a story out of that scar.
Glad y'all are ok and no one got hurt.
..."

Thanks so much, Peggy!


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