HIT BY A TRUCK

HIT BY A TRUCK

(This is Joe’s true story. 11/4/11.)

He left work at rush hour. He had to
cash his paycheck and get home. They needed food and diapers. Money was tight. He couldn’t afford a car. He walked.

Down the street to the corner, he crossed
at the light, making it nearly halfway
across before he heard the squeal – a
truck was inches from his left leg.

Instantly, he was hurled across the
windshield. His thought was of how
this would anger his wife and ruin the weekend. The driver saw him.

The yellow truck quickly pulled over
causing the man to be airborne rather
than land in the bed of the truck at a
a speed that’d likely break his neck.

He crashed to the pavement. He had
an instance where he expected to
be run over by another driver. But the
traffic had stopped in all directions.

A woman in a stopped vehicle asked
if he was ok. He was still dazed, “I’m
alive.” He heard sirens. Someone had
called 911. Police and an ambulance.

The rescue people, not having seen
what happened, looked at the man in
his work clothes and thought he was
a derelict who might have just fallen.

Drivers set the rescue workers straight
that the man had indeed been struck
by a vehicle. The driver of the yellow
truck that hit him stepped forward.

He was loaded into an ambulance
and taken to a city hospital. A brace
put on his neck was uncomfortable.
He was placed on an examination table.

He waited for the doctor. He felt and
discovered his phone in pieces. He
couldn’t inform his wife, yet. The doctor
finally came in and felt his neck area.

He was asked about pain. His left arm
and ribs hurt. X-rays showed no breaks.
He asked to be released and got the
standard instructions for follow up.

His legs were weak as he left to find
a bus stop to take him back to the
check cashing place. He was already
two hours late getting home.

With his check finally cashed, he
resumed his normal route home and
explained to his wife about his ordeal.
Hospital documents as proof.

In his favorite sweatpants, he tried
to relax. He had work on Monday. He
hurt but couldn’t take off time or his
kids wouldn’t have a Christmas.

The next day, he noticed the swelling
and that his legs were black in places.
Sunday, it was his entire right leg and
over half the left leg. Fluid build up.

He wouldn’t go to the doctor, so he
used ACE bandages to bind his legs.
He managed to reassemble his phone.
His right arm now clicked when it moved.

Monday came and his co-workers
asked about the commotion at the
corner on Friday. He truthfully told
them that he had been hit by a truck.

Hospital paperwork said bruises and
contusions. They took his word that he
was ok to work. He wasn’t. The arm
wasn’t right. He couldn’t stand long.

Luckily, he sat operating a punch press.
Getting to his bus stop each morning
required stopping and resting. The
same on his way back to his home.

The fluid build up in his legs lessened
and the black faded. He developed
fluid in his lungs. It gave him laryngitis.
He claimed a chest cold at work.

He was 8 years from retirement. He’d
never thought of retiring. Now, he
counted the days. People had always
thought him younger than his 54 years.

The laryngitis finally went away, but he
was left with lung damage that smoke
and scents extremely bothered. His legs
were still an issue but he sat at work.

The years passed and he continued
to count the years, months and days
’til he could retire. He began paying
off his debts and budgeting fiercely.

He looked back and pondered if he
should have gotten a lawyer and
tried for a settlement, but doing that wasn’t the type of person that he was.

His life was hell as he had physical limitations and young children. He
began having “bedroom problems”
which turned into marriage problems.

Somehow, he made it to retirement.
His marriage didn’t. He now sits alone
with his dog. Sometimes the arm still clicks and his legs are forever weak.

The kids did get a great x-mas 2011! Many days, tears fall on Joe’s dog. The terrier happily licks them away. YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN THIS LIFE!