25 - One of Those Years

     Sometimes you just have shitty years.  2003 was one of those years.
You tell me.
     In February my job was thrown in jeopardy because of my mouth, as usual.  I stayed
with the job because they had no basis to fire me other than they didn't like me.  I
had gained 30 pounds due to stress.
     In February my dad was diagnosed with cancer so each day now had an
immeasurable value.
     By May of that year I had almost been killed in two car accidents.
     In November the fatal car accident brought everything to a head.  My new Saab
was destroyed.  I was fine.  I opted not to go to the hospital.  The 250
pound black Bear was a different story.  The bear ran out in front of my car
as I was headed to meet my sister.
     The impact destroyed the front driver's side fender and headlights.  The front
bumper was pushed into the drivers side tire.  The radiator was leaking like a
stuck pig, fluid was spewing everywhere. The hood needed to be replaced.
     Had I been traveling a bit faster I would have hit the bear head on and it
would have rolled up the hood onto the windshield.
     I had two choices; go through the guard rails and drop off into the dry
dam (forty to fifty foot below) or hit the bear.  According to the police the
bear died once it got to the other side of the road.
     For some reason I couldn't figure out I was still here, eight beautiful car
accidents an accidental drug over dose in Germany and I was still here.
     "There's always a plan," whispered a voice in the wind while the machines
whirred gently in the distance.