Saturday, April 21, 2012

The Car Fell Down!


A couple of days ago, I was driving in the car with my 4 year old Granddaughter, Emma, when I spotted a person in a large heart costume, near a church.  I’m guessing she was promoting the “Love Modesto” campaign that is becoming an annual thing in April.  So I pointed out to Emma, “see Emma, a giant walking heart” It had a smile face on it an everything.  I was committed a left turn, and so we turned away from the heart.
    Well, Emma REALLY, REALLY, wanted to meet the heart, and take it home with her.  She thought having a Giant walking heart to play with would be very cool.  I tried to explain that we could not take the heart home, but we could go and meet it, and maybe take a picture with it. 
    So I turn the car around and went back to find the heart.  By then it was all the way to and around the corner of a busier road.  So I made a right onto that road, and luckily there was a turnout right there that looked like a safe place to park, and talk to the Heart.
    No sooner did I get stopped, than I heard a noise, sort of a dull thud, and looked up front to see the undercarriage of a minivan, across the sidewalk, about 100 ft. in front of me. I did not see how it came to be there, just watched it settle to the ground.  OK, this is NOT good...  The Heart was running to the van, to help, and pealed off her costume.  Emma was heartbroken that it was a girl in a heart costume.  She was more indignant about it not being a real heart, than she was disturbed by the wreck in front of us.  Not wanting to leave Emma alone in the car, and seeing that there were plenty of people going to the van to help, I chose to stay in my car with Emma and call 911.  It sounded like I may have been the first to call, and the operator said she would send all emergency vehicles, police, ambulance, and fire. 
    So after sitting and watching until a tow truck arrived, I realized that I was going to be in the way, and so we left.  After all, I had not seen how it had  happened, and would be of no use as a witness, or anything else, since I did not want to risk frightening Emma by leaving her alone in my car.  By the time I got around the block again, all emergency vehicles were there. 

    So later I was telling the story to my Hubby, and Emma's parents. I let Emma help me tell the story.     Emma’s version was cute.  She said we saw a giant walking heart, and that a car “fell down” in front of us, and the heart was really a girl in a fake heart costume.  "and I wanted her to be a REAL walking Heart"  She also told that Grandma had called 9-1-1.  And now she knows that if a car “falls down” front of her, she should call 9-1-1.  Also would Mommy please make her a giant walking heart to play with?