In a Split Second

It takes a split second for a audience of concert goers to go from patient enthusiasm to a roaring crowd. That split second change happens the moment the musicians take the stage. There's nothing better than seeing live music that gets you up off your feet and dancin! Denise and I love a good "hoe down". We had been waiting to see The Avett Brothers since we moved north and she'd bought me tickets for my birthday. The time had come. They were playing in Albany, NY, two hours south of Willsboro, NY where Denise lives. The show was this past sunday night. We were going to do it up old school style, drive down and back in the same day. We left around noon to leave enough time to explore Albany. We got there around 3:30 and was in search of the closest sports bar. It was game six of the Cap's playoff series against the Boston Bruins. If we won we'd advance to the next series. A loss would mean a stressful game seven. We finally found a bar called The Barrel. It looked like it was the place to be as there were cars lined up out front. Our natural conclusion was that it was hockey playoffs and people in New England LOVE hockey (especially the Bruins). We opened the door and the place was packed with people in turquoise. There was barely standing room. Right in the entrance was a woman collecting money and handing out tickets. She greeted us and we asked about the event. She responded, "It's a fundraiser for Ovarian Cancer. There's a suggested 20$ donation." Our faces must have totally expressed what were thinking because the woman reacted, "Oh are you just here to drink?" We responded, "Yes and to watch hockey." There was an awkward silence. We politely wished her luck with the fundraiser and went out in search of another bar. On the way out, Denise and I both noted the large 8x10 photograph on the ticket table of a woman I can only imagine died form Ovarian Cancer. AWKWARD!! It was a situation that only George Castansa would find himself in. Well, we found a quaint Irish pup down the road and settled in to watch the second period.

Our bartender's name was Sarah. She was going to the show as well and informed us of a free show down the road starring Eastbound Jesus. After the second period, we decided to go and check the band out. They were what Denise would call, "A Hoot". She immediately went out on the dance floor and I cozied up to watch the game that ended in a disappointing loss in overtime. The free show ended just as the doors opened for the Avett Brothers. We rain out in the rain, and over to The Palace to found our seats. They opened with Laundry Room. Denise and I left our seats and ran to the isle to dance. We've seen The Avett Brothers five times and this was as show we'd NEVER forget.

The show ended and the audience was let out into a steady rain storm. Denise and I got on the road. Since Denise drove down, I drove back. I hate driving in rain, especially at night, in an unfamiliar place. We must have been on the road for maybe 30 minutes. I had been really short with Denise as she was looking up stuff on my phone. I wasn't present, something was distracting me. I had a uneasy feeling. Something was making feel like we should turn around. I sat with the feeling and tried figure it out. What ever it was it was dark and frightened me. I continued to drive ten miles under the speed limit. My body was tight. I must have been clenching every muscle. I prayed we'd make it home safe and sound. As we continued to get closer to the high peeks the dark feeling was still with me. Was something going to happen to us? Were we going to die? What was it? I had an image of a car going across us. Then the feeling disappeared. As we climbed in altitude, the weather got worse. In a matter of seconds we were in freezing rain, sleet, and snow. The road had patches of snow and trees were sparkling with ice. I now was driving with my flashers on and doing 35 mph. Luckily, Denise didn't take her snow tires off yet and her car was handling the conditions well. We reached the top of a peek and I slowed down as a car going faster past.

It only takes a split second for your life to completely change. The car to my left lost control, swerved right, then swerved in front of us to the right, hitting a ditch and flipping multiple times, landing upside down. I don't remember pulling over. The ground was slippery, I fell on the snow down the ditch and tried running over to the car. Two of the three passengers had gotten out. The third was still trapped inside the car upside down. The girl, who had been driving, was in shock. I couldn't understand her. Flashes of my CPR class came to me. She wanted me to get her friend out of the car, but it wasn't safe. I held my phone trying to dial as my hands shook and snow fell. Out in the peeks, there's no service. Denise got both the girl and the her friend into our car. She had blood from a small cut on her head. Multiple cars went by but no one stopped. I finally stood out on the median and held the light of my phone out and waved. Finally, a SUV stopped. All we needed was for them to call 911 and somehow they got through. Three cars, on the side of the road, all going different places but coming from the same, The Avett Brother's show.

As we calmed the two people down, their friend stumbled out of the car and made it up the ditch to our car.  Despite the severity of the accident, the only casualties were a black eye and a cut forehead. We waited for the paramedics to arrive for thirty minutes. In the north country, the emergency service aren't around the corner. With the unpredicted weather, there was no telling how long it was going to take. We all felt it was too dangerous to sit on the side of the road in the storm as tractor trailers sped by. Denise and I offered to give the three a lift back home to Plattsburgh, 30 minutes north of where we needed to be. Denise and I got back to Willsboro a little after 3am. I was up and on the ferry back to Burlington by 7:30am and in my classroom by 9:30am.

I sat at the snack table the next day feeling like I had been in a Twilight zone. Only a few short hours ago I had witnessed an accident that shouldn't have had any survivors. Now, I was asking a four year old if she wanted milk in her cereal. We had come from an emotional high from the concert to the complete opposite in only seconds.

Denise asked if the accident tainted the concert experience. I wanted to say no, but I will always remember that concert as the night of the accident. We are both blessed to have not been hit and only been witnesses. I reflected on the dark feeling that I felt prior to the accident. Call it a message from God or a bout of clairvoyance. Whatever you call it, I'm thankful for listening to it and taking my time on the road.

The Avett Brothers are playing on the waterfront this summer in Burlington. I look forward to walking home.