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November 5, 2007
Official Pennsylvanian Driver Initiation: Passed
Rain had just begun to do the polka on my windshield. I was on my way home after a couple excruciating hours of The Waiting Game for something I need but probably won't get anyway. I never hold my cell phone when I drive. My hands-free headset usually stays latched to my ear throughout my journeys. Best twenty bucks I ever spent, with very little exception.
Daylight saving time kicked in yesterday, so I'll eventually get used to twilight at dinnertime. 55 mph on a familiar road. My car's headlights were no competition for the garlands of lightning.
Mike was on the other end of the phone, telling me about his plans for tomorrow. I honestly couldn't tell you what he said, though. I heard it, but I cannot remember it because adrenaline pumped all thoughts that weren't survival-bound from my brain.
The deer straddled the double yellow lines. Deer to the left of me, trees to the right of me. Traffic behind me, traffic coming towards me.
I remember, while I was screaming, thinking back to when I had my permit and I learned about options in a collision. If you know you're going to hit something, take your choice carefully--parked car or moving car? Parked car. Vehicle or tree? Tree. Deer or guiderail? Deer.
It happened in fast-forward--from the moment I saw the deer on the road to the moment Mike was yelling to see if I was okay. The front corner, driver's side, made contact with, from what I know and can remember, the deer's head and front legs.
I don't know if I was initially more upset that I hurt the deer or potentially hurt my car. Mike would probably be able to answer that better than I... Despite requests to pull over, I kept driving. My headlight was still on, so the car had to be fine. I was 15 minutes from home and crying hard, but I was essentially fine. I was exceptionally disturbed when I realized that while my hit probably stunned the deer and broke his legs, oncoming traffic and the traffic behind me most likely killed him.
When I got home, my brother was kind enough to meet me at the car with an umbrella. He hadn't known my plight, but had his own--he was locked out of the house in the pouring rain. I opened the door and told Caleb what happened. He helped me check my car. My Volkswagen is, miraculously, fine. Not a mark on it. I was a slightly relieved by that, despite being shaken and shaking.
I'm now an officially initiated Pennsylvanian driver: I have hit a deer.
Posted by KarissaKilgore at November 5, 2007 8:32 PM
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Comments
Glad to know you and your car are OK, Karissa.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at November 6, 2007 8:28 AM
Thanks, Dr. Jerz. It was terrifying.
I did find deer hairs sticking out of a crevice by my bumper today... "Bumper" is a terrible word for anything on a vehicle--like I'm supposed to be bumping things?
Posted by: Karissa Kilgore at November 6, 2007 5:31 PM
Sheesh! So happy you're safe.
I've come close to a few deer on my way home from SHU on late nights (which now seem so long ago), but never hit.
But it never seems quite real when they come out of the darkness. You're descriptions really resonate...
Posted by: Amanda at November 6, 2007 6:39 PM