Last Friday evening, I was still at the hospital when I got a text message from Aaron telling me that he'd made a big mistake.
Without any further details.
I'm already on high alert this month working in the ICU, so I was pretty worried. As far as I was concerned, sending a text saying he'd made a big mistake without explaining was, itself, a big mistake. I tried calling him a few times, but he didn't answer. Finally, I got a hold of him.
As it turns out, on the way home from picking up Julia, he had hit a curb and blown a tire. Then, he swapped the tire for a spare, but had left the hazard lights on during the tire changing, draining the battery (which, as it turns out, needed to be replaced). The car wouldn't start, so he got the stroller out of the car, put Julia in it, and started to walk home. A two and a half mile journey. In the dark. On the sloped, grassy side of a major street, part of which didn't have a sidewalk. Wearing his white coat and dress clothes from work.
!
One of the residents I'm working with this month was nice enough to let me leave work to go pick Aaron and Julia up when I explained the situation to him.
I'd almost reached Aaron, when I got a call from him, saying he'd gotten a ride. My parents and Sarah had happened to drive past on their way to Elizabeth's chorale concert (he hadn't called them previously because he thought they'd already left home), saw him, and picked him. Apparently, when they first saw him, they thought, "Who's that crazy man wearing a white coat pushing a stroller in the dark?" My sister figured he was homeless. And then they realized it was Aaron.
Yep.
That's a mental image they're not going to forget for a long, long time.
too funny! which was the mistake? not calling for a ride? I'd say the tire and the hazards were accidents, right? :-)
ReplyDeleteah well, live and learn! at least no harm was done in the process! and you should tell aaron I just ran into a curb (with a metal dagger sticking off of it!) and punctured my almost new tire last weekend. on the only weekend Tim has been away since we've been married. accidents happen :-).
He was referring to the whole situation, but I definitely agree - accidents happen! The tire/battery was no big deal - after the alarming text, I was just happy Aaron and Julia were both safe and healthy! But, we have all been teasing him for not calling anyone, since there are plenty of people who would have happily bailed him out. Aaron said that part of the whole story wasn't unpleasant - Julia was happy to be on a walk (even in the dark!) and fell asleep pretty quickly. I do have to give him props for how hard he tried to handle things by himself - I would have thrown in the towel much sooner!
ReplyDeleteToo bad about your tire and the timing of it! Life's funny like that, isn't it? ;-)