So, about three weeks back I had a car crash while driving to meet a BBC script editor called Gillian. I won't bore you with the details of the crash, beyond saying the vehicle I was driving did not collide with any others, and I was not physically injured by the crash. I was travelling about 30 miles an hour when I left the road, went up a grassy verge, through a low hedge and ended up on top of a farmer's fence. You can see the car being towed away in the picture above.When it happened, none of my memories flashed before my eyes. I didn't have any sudden revelations, nor did I come to any grand conclusions about my life. I was too busy wrestling with the car, trying to avoid a collision. The whole thing probably took about six seconds from when I lost control. I guess I was shaken up, but within an hour I was driving to Edinburgh for a different meeting. Due to other difficulties, that meeting had to be rescheduled for tomorrow and with luck I'll be seeing Gillian in the next week or two. All in all, no damage done beyond the car and that's nearly fixed now. [The fence was back up within 24 hours - if only all things were as efficient as farmers in fixing easy to solve problems.]
The strangest part was I spent the next few days seeing hearses everywhere I went. The town I live in is not large and there's an average of one funeral a week, maybe two a week in winter. But after my crash everywhere I went there were hearses - in Edinburgh, in the town where I live, in another town I was visiting. All just a coincidence, I'm sure, but it was like being inside an M. Night Shyamalan film for a few days. It's a fine thread by which our lives hang and incidents like this make me all the more determined to make the most of my time.
So, it's a new year and I cleared my backlog of 2006 projects in the days between Christmas and Hogmanay. I've got two assignments due in on my MA screenwriting course this month, two issues of The Phantom to write for Egmont Sweden, plus my TV project for the mentoring scheme to develop. Time to press on and move forwards.
3 comments:
I'm glad you were ok. Often a little 'shake up' is good for the soul, reminding us that time is always short.
Can I just make a point on your blog writing? I've noticed that you're increasingly starting sentences and blog entries with the word 'so'.
Personally I find that usage a horrible Americanism which serves no purpose. I just wondered if you were aware you were doing it? Best to be careful in case the usage creeps into your scene descriptions or script reports!
Glad you survived. And nice vehicle.
Glad you survived to craft another blog! I wrote off my own car last year so I'm with you on seeing 'signs'. For me it wasn't hearses but those ratty faded bouquets at the verges marking road deaths - they seemed to be everywhere, and yet I hardly notice them now - spooky.
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