FOR CAPERS

Killed on a Sunday morning, doing a favor for a friend. A run for capers, because who can have a lox plate without them. He agreed, and suggested he grab another bottle of bubbly, and juice for mimosas, as well.

Just a dash, be right back.

But that never happened. 

As arbitrary as  could be, a ladder, dropped in the lanes, from a truck bed …moments before…strewn upon impact by the one car that failed to react with the others, swerving up ahead, colliding and sending the ladder  careening into the air and through his windshield. Blinded, he immediately, instinctively, braked. Tires screeched all around him, but miraculously, amid the massive skids, there were no collisions.  There was a moment of quiet – a reality check, scented by fresh burned rubber…but all survived. With the help of some cooperative fellow drivers… while still impaled…he hobbled his Nissan safely over to the shoulder,  and fortunately, not far from a call box, because he had left his cell phone behind. He took a deep breath as his hands started to shake - a result of  delayed-shock. Then, He laughed, hearing himself explain the delay, knowing she would say, “this stuff only happens to you…for capers, yet! ”

She’d be right, of course. The laughter relaxed him, just giddy to be alive, he drew in a deep breath, and knew he had to get himself some assistance in this situation. Traffic was building back up to speed…and then some, as there were those that took exception to ‘his big mistake’ and the delays he had caused them.

(Hey, this is LA… people have important shit to do or they wouldn’t fuckin’ be here.)

 

Okay, he got it. First order of business, remove the “penetrater” and find what, or if, he could see out the windshield, and drive himself off. It may have sounded simple but it was not possible from within the vehicle because the aluminum was bent and twisted from impact. 

He would have to step out and yank it free from over the hood. That’s when it happened. As tightly as he was situated, his door swung into the lane as he exited, and the next vehicle took them both out.

For Capers…

V