In the news world, yesterday's storm is quickly becoming recent history. We also enjoy oxymoron's in the news world. Either way, I know it happened Monday afternoon... but the aftermath of what seemed to be the end of the world is still apparent in my backyard and along the streets I drive.
I set out yesterday with the goal of running errands: buying groceries for me and food for the dogs. It was raining - nothing I can't handle. It's when it started raining cats and dogs I got slightly more alert, not worried mind you, just alert. When Great Dane-sized raindrops started coming down at the speed of Usain Bolt in Beijing, I focused in on keeping more space between me and my fellow drivers. It's only when the air around me turned brown, the wind felt like it was on a mission to dismantle my car and I lost all visibility except to see that my windshield wipers, even on full strength, could not keep the pace of the rain - that's when I worried. In fact, that's when I started thinking up different scenarios in my mind as to what I should do if A) I get blown off the road, B) I get washed off the road, or C) a combination of the preceding plus hit by other cars struggling through the same tumultuous torrent.
Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, I've driven through a lot of severe weather - ice, snow, rain, wind. Nothing came close to that moment yesterday when I seriously had to consider the fact I may just make the evening news as a subject, not because news is what I do for a living.
It's very easy, sometimes, for us to sit behind a desk and throw judgment to a motorist who drives through a wash (stupid motorist!), or a driver who caused an accident because they didn't follow procedure when pulling over because of a dust storm (duh, how many times do we have to list the steps to take?). Yes, I know there need to be a level of common sense when you get behind the wheel. However, in a moment of managed panic, it's tough to keep your wits about you when your life seems to be at stake. But, I guess that's the moment your wits matter most.