putting things into perspective

My long-time friend, Alex, called me today and during the conversation, she told me a story about one of her good friends that I’d met many times when I also lived in San Antonio. Let’s call them Beth and Alan.

About two weeks ago, Alan was coming home at night on his motorcycle. He got into a fender bender, so he and the other driver exited and pulled over to exchange insurance information (both were sober). A drunk driver exited and mowed Alan down…and kept going. The police tracked the driver down, and even found Alan’s blood all over the car. The driver was arrested, arraigned and out on bail but has now disappeared.

Alan spent the first few days fighting for his life with his cracked vertebrae and mangled right arm. He’s had six surgeries so far, including the amputation of his right arm all the way up to the shoulder (and he was right-handed). At this point, the doctors expect him to survive, but Alan’s life will obviously be changed forever. He will have to learn how to write, eat and perform the most basic functions all over.

Even at the age of nine, I knew there was something terribly wrong about my dad driving us around while he was ripped out of his mind. No one told me what to think – I just formed my own conclusion if that if someone can’t walk down a street without falling into bushes, then he/she should probably not be driving. It seems odd to me that I figured that out at such a young age, when so many adults haven't yet. Our culture seems to give more credence to "don't run with scissors" than "don't drink and drive."

I know there are many ways that people can die, but drunk drivers have already caused more deaths of people I know or among friends of friends than any other reason. It is real, and for those that take it lightly, I wish I could show them a picture of my neighbor’s smashed motorcycle after a drunk driver plowed into them at a red light and instantly killed the wife.

Like my mom’s house burning down, this kind of tragedy unnerves me because it shows how vulnerable and fragile we are. No matter what precautions we take and how responsible we are, our lives are often at the mercy of others.

I’m not usually afraid to take risks, but I can definitely say that this particular one is just not worth it.