Broken glass. Various parts of the Element, the Ford truck, and the other two cars, both passenger vehicles, strewn through all the lanes, the bumper and headlamps from the Element lying in front of it.

So, here’s my take on what happened, all formulated in less than a minute, right before I heard the sirens from two police officers:

Let’s call our college girl Bree because she resembled a sorority girl I knew at Missouri State University. Blonde hair, fake tan, pearly white teeth, pristine clothes, and an Apple watch, the band matching her ‘I’m-going-to-go-play-tennis-at-the-country-club’ look. The skirt, sorority logo t-shirt, and the charm bracelet on her right wrist matched the watch and her spotless white tennis shoes. The older gentleman, I assume the driver of the Ford truck, will call Bill. Khakis slacks, a vertical-striped button-down collared shirt, penny loafers, something I hadn’t seen since the late 1980s, and gold wireframed glasses. A grandfatherly look to him, I’d figure him to be around his late 60’s or early 70’s.

“Daddy’s going to kill me,” she kept repeating to Bill. “I just know it.”

Bill said in a soft, southern accent, “He’s gonna be happy you are alive, darlin’. Don’t overthink it.”

“Bill! Billy! Hey, are you okay?” Betty ran over, hugging her uncle. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” He winked at her. “I’m good Bet. Truck’s a damn mess, but what’re you gonna do?”

“I don’t know what happened,” the sorority girl, Bree, said into her phone, held out flat in her palm. “I was just driving along, minding my own business. When this truck slammed into me! Can you believe it? Maybe Daddy will get me that Camero I’ve been asking him for.” She gave Bill a weird look like he was trying to eavesdrop on her conversation. Rolling her eyes, she walked away from him, still talking into her palm.

“Billy? Did you fall asleep again?”

“I told you before, Bet, I don’t fall asleep. I can’t sleep.”

“Could be the sign of something more serious,” Bet shrugged her shoulders, reaching in her purse for a cigarette, then, smelling the faint hint of gasoline, thought twice and put them back in her purse. “Billy, you really need to go get yourself checked out.”

“Hate doctors. Won’t go see ‘em. All they wanna do is give you drugs, poke and prod you, and for what? Thousands of dollars spent on these darned fools, and the best they can do is, ‘Here. Take this medication for the rest of your life,’ and they’s just guessin’! No, thank you, ma’am. Not goin’. Not no way.”

Betty hugged her uncle. “I’m just glad you are okay! I stopped as soon as I saw you standing there. Who’s the girl?”

“Dunno. She’s waitin’ for the police, I reckon. Not sure. I think she’s Davey Hicks’ granddaughter. Bree-somethin’ or other.”

“Who’re the other two women?” Bet asked.

“Dunno. They is new in town. Moved here a few months back. I remember first seeing them around Christmas. ‘Member how we got that light dustin’ of snow in late December? That’s when I saw ‘em first. Outta state plates. Can’t remember which state.”

“You need to see a doctor, Billy. You ain’t as young as you used to be.” A few blocks away, the sirens cleared the way for both Charleston Police officers. “I’m stayin’ right here ‘till the EMT’s arrive. If’n’ they say you is good to go, I’ll go home. Otherwise, consider yourself a North General Hospital guest until they say you can leave. You got me?”

Bill shook his head. “I wish you’d mind youns own business, Bet.” The sirens cut off right after a Lexus drove through the accident scene, looking over to Bill. Bill saluted as the driver cautiously navigated through the debris.

Getting off the interstate, I thought, what if I had arrived a few minutes earlier?

Turning left, I saw the aftermath of four vehicles. The first car I saw was a Honda Element, the front spread across the two lanes I was just in. Whatever happened, it looked like it might have been the cause. Then I saw a newer Ford pickup truck, its driver’s side door crumpled in. Driving through the chaotic aftermath, I made several educated guesses, starting with the college-aged girl standing on my left side, talking to what I assumed was the dude driving the Ford. He was chatting with her while she stared at the Element in shock. Or maybe she was terrified. Either way, both feelings kinda give off the same energy. The older guy saluted me as I passed.  

I was doing my best to pay attention to everything around me. I didn’t want to end up hitting a pedestrian or, worse, one of those people involved in the accident. Creeping along at a snail’s pace, I hit the brakes, the Toyota in front of me coming to a complete stop, hazard lights blinking at me. Negotiating the accident, the stopped Toyota, and the debris in the road? That was a trick, especially with oncoming traffic trying to get around me! I couldn’t move around the smashed Element, so I took my time, waiting for the oncoming woman driving her Chevy minivan to stop just long enough for me to continue.