In a normal life span, it may happen to you a number of times. You find yourself saying, "Missed it that much!" (Thanks, Max)Or, "I could be dead now."

It happened to me again on Saturday night. We were driving on a two-lane road when a car suddenly came out of the other lane and headed right for the front of our car. I was in the back seat and Willette and her mother were in the front. We were going 60 (OK, I admit it. I was watching the speedometer. I didn't want her to get a ticket.)and the other car was probably going about the same. In an instant it was on us and there was no way to miss it, but we did. I didn't know a 67 year-old lady could react that fast. She went for the sholder, which was loose gravel and the other car swooshed by in the middle of our lane.

Now we found ourselves going 60 on gravel with a steep drop-off to our right. In the back seat I could feel the car begin to sway. It was going to spin around and go over the drop-off. It was sure to turn over. But it did none of those things. I guess you learn a something about not over correcting, if you have been driving for 50 years. She got it straight and pulled back on to the the pavement. (Big sigh of relief.)

I know what happens when two cars come together with a closing rate of 120 or so. There is not going to be much left. I keep thinking about what George Burns said when he came on stage at 98 years of age. He said, "I'm glad to be here." Then after just the right pause, he added, "At my age, I'm glad to be anywhere." Let me tell you, last Saturday night, I was glad to be anywhere.

After replaying the incident dozens of times in my head, I still don't know what caused that car go cross over to our lane. Drunk? Sleepy? On the phone? Suicidal? Checking the map? Reading a book? Tending to the kids? I've seen people do all of those things while driving, and I always think about how easy it would be for somebody to get killed.

Now what do I do? What do you do for somebody who saved three lives? I already told her it was the best piece of defensive driving I ever saw.
Howard