I have been better

There was an intersection. My way through was straight and easy to
see... well, relatively speaking. It was way-dark country road. The
other way was the top of a hill, so there was poor visibility even in
the daylight, from those cross-directions. I stopped at my stop
sign/flashing light... I assumed the other direction would do the
same at theirs. In IL flashing lights like that are used at all-stop
intersections.

As it happens, in MI, they are not all-stop intersections. As it
happens, the lights flash yellow in their directions, the ones that
don't have to stop. As it happens, I can't tell the difference between
the two shades of lights, and there was no sign saying "cross traffic
does not stop".

I stopped, then went. Someone who didn't need to stop didn't, and
broad-sided me. It was my fault, pure and simple.

Tammy and her daughter didn't think so, and don't blame me. The Branch
County deputies didn't blame me either; they didn't even give me a
ticket, and were visibly relieved we were all alive and speaking. My
insurance company doesn't blame me either; MI is a no-fault state.
There were two other accidents at that intersection -that day- that
had fatalities. And many more this month, and this year. The three of
us were incredibly lucky. Olivia is in school now, only a little pain,
getting better daily. Tammy's leg looks awful, but in the end its just
a big bruise. Her hip is much the same. My shoulder and collar...
well, you know.

As it happens, whenever I lay down to sleep... the nappy kind, or for
the evening, I spend about 45 minutes replaying that same few moments
in my head; before during and after the accident. My mistake, Tammy's
horrified "they don't stop! they don't stop!", the impact, then
Olivia's screaming afterwards. I haven't figured out how to not do
this yet, and it's starting to bug me a little.


There is more. Maybe soon.