There are times when you can be at the “right place at the right time” or “right place, wrong time” or “wrong place, wrong time”, or even “wrong place, right time”. All a question of perspective, I guess. Or is it more?
Meeting up with an old friend in a place neither of you usually frequents, getting that great photograph at the perfect moment, just missing your train/bus/plane, being splashed with slush by an driver who did or did not see you standing there not paying attention ~ these are some of those moments.
Last night my boys and I decided to go into to town to the only movie theatre still playing the third part of The Hobbit, The Battle of the Five Armies. The movie started at 8:30 pm so we had to leave between 7:30 and 7:45 to give us time to get there, park and purchase our tickets.
Well, we leave at about 7:40 and make our way to the highway. We drive for about 3-4 km and traffic stops. I mean. Stops. Not slows down to a crawl. Total stop. Ah hell we all think and say. What is going on? Suddenly we hear sirens and see two police cars come up on the left shoulder; then two more on the right one followed by two fire trucks and finally an ambulance. This is NOT a good sign. Oh I hope it’s not too serious.
Iain cranes his neck and sees that the pedestrian overpass seems to be cut in half! Holy Toledo! This highway is divided by a median so we cannot just simply turn around and go back where we came from. Or can we? Yes, we can! Some fancy manoeuvering and we are turning around onto the shoulder and are now being directed by the police through a passageway created by them, which allows us to go up on the exit and over the highway so we can go home!
Read about the story here.
Needless to say, even though the boys were disappointed about the movie, I was super grateful that we had not left two minutes earlier…
Thankful that you did indeed leave a few minutes later…
Sometimes it pays to be a little disorganised!
We saw this on the news last night Dale, thank goodness you didn’t leave any earlier. Take care, Deb xo
Indeed! You too, Deb!
Your higher power Dale…
Hmmm… maybe, eh?
Dale, glad you and the boys are okay.
Love your overall point about the various aspects of timing. It even enters conversations so much as a factor.
Doesn’t it though? Thanks Jean!
Yep … timing is important. You mentioned had that you were glad you didn’t leave a few minutes earlier … on the other hand, 10 minutes earlier (possibly) would have gotten you on the other side. Reminds me of a huge accident in front of us … it stopped us on a bridge for 3 hours with no where to go … and during a return drive from Florida. (Nothing like being way behind schedule). BTW … something similar recently happened to an overpass in Cincinnati … down it came onto an interstate … fortunately, not during heavy traffic .. but unfortunately a worker died. Here’s some pics. http://tinyurl.com/qanvu5p
‘Tis true… we could have left a bit earlier were we not supping! Then again, who knows, eh? Oh ugh. Of all places to be trapped ~ a bridge! ~ not the most relaxing place (that and in a tunnel!) We had a horrid accident a few years ago on a major highway too. Same thing, an overpass crashed at a very busy exit… horrible http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/quebec-calls-inquiry-into-deadly-overpass-collapse-1.571783 Here’s another link with a good image… http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/de-la-concorde-overpass-collapse-nobody-s-fault-order-of-engineers-1.2715652
Big yuks!
Timing is a mysterious thing. Glad you and your boys are safe. 🙂
Isn’t it though? Timing and luck seem to go hand in hand, eh?
Dale, So glad that you and your boys are alright!
Wishing you well, Carol
Yes, all is well, thanks!
WHEW! That was a close shave, Dale! Happy you’re all safe!
Thanks! All good!
Off topic … if you didn’t get my email, check your Spam folder.
I did thank you. Haven’t yet responded to you. Will do so, however!
No rush … Just making sure you got it.
Sobering. Glad you left when you did.
Indeed! Thanks for stopping by! I just discovered you through Raye of JotsFromASmallApt. She suggested I “check you out”! 😉
That’s kind of her. Glad you stopped by so I could, in turn, find your blog. (I think I’m remembering the order things happened in correctly.)
She is, indeed! She also wants me to keep writing – said your words helped push/encourage her in her painting and could do the same for me!