<p>A sober digression for a moment. CC is one of three completely unrelated on-line lives that I lead though it’s where I’m most prolific about posting.</p>
<p>On one my other boards, one that is my Home Page for my regular browser, in fact, a very sad post from a co-worker of one of the regular, very funny posters: he was killed in that commuter train wreck in Glendale the other day.</p>
<p>Things like train wrecks we mostly can’t help if our Number is called. There are other things we can control, like wearing seatbelts, not driving after drinking, etc. So please take care…I don’t want to read a post from your H/W/S/D that we won’t be seeing you around here any more.</p>
<p>TheDad,
You take care, too, my cyberfriend.
My SIL usually rides that train, but fortunately was cruising in Fla. during the crash. Husband and I hadn’t realized that was her regular train, but our older S, called last night to reassure us. </p>
<p>SIL seems to have a lucky star as she flew out of LaGuardia to LA around 8 a.m. Sept. 11, 2001. Her plane was grounded in Ohio by the FAA.
She is an interesting person in that she really believes that when one’s time has come, it has come. When the FAA allowed planes to fly again, she flew home without trepidation.</p>
<p>Thedad–very, very sad news. Thank you for your caring.</p>
<p>Ever since we lost my SIL in November because of a stupid, stupid (and probably drunk) driver who cut her off and into the path of a truck, I’ve realized as I never had before how fragile life is. 43 years old–the coolest, nicest person I’ve ever known, it doesn’t, and never will, make sense. Nor does that senseless train wreck. Neither had to happen.</p>
<p>Thedad, sorry to hear about your loss due to the train wreck.
Garland, very sorry to hear about your sister-in-law.
Life really is fragile and temporary. 43 is too, too young.</p>
<p>TheDad ~ I echo the regreats of the others above, for your loss and the loss of the family of your friend. It seems that at about middle age we all start losing friends, relatives, and acquaintences. It’s the process that finalizes the conversion from youngster (it can’t happen to me!) to more cautious, middle-aged adult. The recognition of this is ususally not a happy circumstance.</p>
<p>When my child was born I started becoming very careful about things like standing away from the curb, not getting too close to the edge of the subway platform, not crossing the street on red. Stuff like that. Silly, but I wanted to cut down on the statistical probability that something bad might happen.</p>
<p>My heart goes out to TheDad and Garland. I jumped when I heard the news but was relieved that S rides a bike, walks, borrows a car, or takes the bus around LA but doesn’t have to take the commuter train.</p>
<p>tsdad–interesting you should mention standing away from the curb. A long time ago, one of my great-aunts was killed by a car that jumped the curb; her grandson escaped with a broken arm. Ever since then, I’ve been afraid to get too close to the curb, especially at a four-way intersection.</p>
<p>We know there’s always danger popping up in strange ways but it’s still shocking when it comes close to home. We learn from our own experiences and those of others like Little Mother did. Some things we can’t control at all and that just doesn’t seem fair. </p>
<p>Years ago, a firetruck turned a corner in San Francisco on its way to an emergency. The ladder swung out and killed a few people standing on the curb. Let’s all back up.</p>
<p>Northstar, my sister’s close friend MISSED the 9-11 Newark flight. Her whole family thought she was on it until she could get out of the gridlock rush hour traffic & to a phone.</p>
<p>My pet peeve is watching parents walk down busy streets (and even through cross walks!) with young kids, say 3-6 years old, and NOT HOLD THEIR HAND. I mean, what are they thinking? I can’t stand seeing that.</p>
<p>I hold my 7-year-old’s hand in the parking lot and I don’t care if I am seen as a psycho over-protective monther. Little kids just don’t have the ability for impulse control or awareness of what’s around them to be safe near cars. And drivers can’t see them because they are too small.</p>
<p>Sorry. There was a terrible train wreck outside Washington a few years ago. Terrible, terrible thing. And the bit about the guy writing goodby to his family in his own blood- chills me to the bone. If I were you I would send flowers.</p>
<p>SBMOM; Oh Yeah, hold your child’s hand. yes, yes, yes, that is why we are here and children remember it!</p>
<p>One course that both my D and I took this year was a RAD course (rape and aggression defense) given through the local police dept. It ran for three evenings and was free to all women either living or working in the town. I feel a lot better knowing that D feels (and I, too) comfortable defending herself enough to give her time to escape.</p>
<p>TheDad,
The world really is small… H’s boss lost his BIL that day on the Metrolink. He leaves behind a wife and 2 children, both under the age of 9. H also had 3 employees injured. It was a terrible, senseless tragedy. That morning, H was attending a public safety conference on bioterrorism…what’s this world coming to?</p>
That morning, H was attending a public safety conference on bioterrorism…what’s this world coming to?</p>