By Steve Walker
Many times we have we
heard the old
adage, ‘Lightning doesn’t strike in the same place.” From personal experience I
tend to disagree.
Let’s
use a similar analogy then involving the same occurrence happening to the same
person twice 38 years and one week apart.
Some
might even call it “déjà vu” all over again. Well I can attest to an incident
happening to me, August 11th in 1970 in Phu Bai Vietnam
that literally struck me like lightning and again (déjà vu) reoccurred August
15th, 2008 in San Antonio
Both
incidents included at least one two & a half ton truck and me as a major
player in the two similar accidents involving them. During the second
occurrence, I momentarily experienced a flashback to my first encounter with the
two & a half ton truck driven by our adversaries the Viet Cong. I was
riding in the passenger seat armed with my M-16 as my buddy drove our two and a
half ton truck back to Phu Bai from Hue the
capitol city of the northern area of South Vietnam
The
second accident involved a driver from a construction company who was waiting
for a green light at the intersection of Babcock & Wilson to turn right. I
had just almost cleared the intersection when the driver of the truck abruptly
turned into me thus spinning my car around forcing me to the curb with oncoming
traffic coming quickly toward me. My adrenalin soared as I thought I would
survive the truck hit but would die by multiple cars crashing into me as an
encore.
Crawling
out of my car which was later declared totaled, I made my way to the curb after
staggering around and looking at what was left of my vehicle. I will admit I
was somewhat disoriented at the time. When I arrived at the hospital emergency
room they checked me out, took some tests and discharged me with a headache and
a few bruises. In my stupor as I crawled out of my car I grabbed my camera
which was always with me and actually took photos of what was left of my car
and the immediate surroundings.
In
my first accident I was thrown forward into the windshield and hit my forehead
on the medal windshield wiper. Fortunately it threw me up and not straight
forward. That was a blessing for it would have done severe damage to my face.
Having
survived being hit by one truck got my attention. Surviving two hits by a two
& a half ton truck, I consider myself very blessed. I remember saying out
loud to the Lord the second time, “If you are trying to get my attention and
tell me something, could you use some other less painful way to do it?”
I
figure if He decides to hit me again with a two & a half ton truck 38 years
from now I will be a hundred year old. I figure that will be His way in
welcoming me home!
Anyway, as always, what I
write is “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam
Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist.
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