The longest eight minutes of my life

Part 1/3

I cry when I'm stressed. I don't know why. I wish I could be tougher, like guys. But when I can't deal with something, first I scream and then I cry.

Friday was a stressful day. It started out in Connecticut. I drove to New York and the traffic wasn't that bad. By the time I dropped off all the girls it was 3:30 and Shabbos started at 7:02. I figured I'd go run some errands before I went home. This was after a 2 hour drive.

I went to 2 gas stations, 2 drug stores and one other store, and had problems with my debit card at every one of them. I called the bank frantic thinking there's something wrong with my account... until I realized I was using my card for my savings account and not my checking account, therefore my pin was wrong and that's why I had declined transactions. So I went back to all those stores and made the purchases again.

5:00.

I get home, eat something cuz I'm starving. My mother wanted to go over to the apartment I was staying at for shabbos. Since we were having relatives for the wedding she rented a guest apartment and wanted me to stay there. So we go over there and I put my stuff down.

5:30.

I go to pick up my friend who was staying with me for shabbos so I wouldn't be alone since the guests were only coming motzei shabbos. Swing around the block. I didn't find parking. Went around the block, and saw a space... only it was down the block on a one way street so I had to go around the block again to get it, and I didn't want to lose it so I made my friend get out of the car and run to stand in the space so I wouldn't lose it.

5:50.

I was at a stop sign. The car behind me beeped. I started going, I looked right, couldn't see much cuz there were cars parked blocking my view down the street.

The car came out of no where. I remember thinking, that car is going to hit me. And then it did.

5:55.

Everything was happening so fast. It was like swirls, only all dark colors. It felt like bumper cars when they hit you on purpose, only it's not fun at all. I slammed into the door, and then the steering wheel. The other car dragged my car for a bit and I slammed on the brakes and thought, I can't hit hat parked car. And then I kept thinking, oh G-d oh G-d, how much money is this gonna cost. It's not my car.

After that a lot happened.

My friend ran over to see if I was okay. I called 911. A frum lady ran downstairs. She called shomrim. I called my father. And I cried.

6:00.

Shomrim came first. They asked me if I was ok. I kept saying I was fine. The car was a bit banged up but the other guys car was worse. He looked fine too. He had a passenger in his car who needed medical assistance but she was conscious.

The police came. Asked for license and registration and insurance.

Hatzala came. Asked if I was ok. I still said I was fine.

6:15.

I asked the police if I could run inside to use the bathroom.

I asked them how long it was gonna take.

The photographer from crownheights.info came. He got his information wrong. He said there were 2 girls in the car. But it was just me. I was hit on the passenger side and thank G-d my friend wasn't in the car.

6:25.

I keep looking at the time thinking, shabbos is coming, this is taking forever. I need to take a shower.

I ask the police nicely if I could go inside and take a shower and come back. He said no.

6:40.

The police are done. They wrote up a report. I don't know what it said. I told them it wasn't my fault.

6:45.

My chest is hurting. Also my shoulder is sore. I tell them maybe I'm not fine after all. They say maybe I should call hatzala.

The hatzala guy comes and tries to convince me to go to the hospital. But it's almost shabbos, I just want to take a shower and it's probably nothing.

6:50.

They tell me to get into the back of the ambulance. I wonder how I could go to the hospital on shabbos. I wonder if I am being stupid and it is really nothing. I wonder how I could not light shabbos candles when I've lit them every week since I was three.

The guy says it's my life and the worst that can happen is it is nothing but it wasn't a waste of a trip.

My phone rings. It says home. I pick it up expecting my mother. It's my brother. My brother who doesn't talk to me. My brother who doesn't care. He asks me how I am. I tell him they are saying I should go to the hospital but I don't want to. He tells me to go to the hospital and he is coming with me.

I cry again.

My friend runs inside to put down our purses and phones since most likely we will walk back on shabbos.

I am strapped to a gurney riding in the back of an ambulance for the first time, sirens blaring and all.

I think, at least it's an experience.

7:22.

It is shabbos and I am in the hospital.

After a 2 hour wait I am discharged. Just like I thought, it was nothing, just a bit of pain and soreness. They give me motrin.

We walk back. It is a 45 minute walk. I am in my jean skirt. I wonder what people think when they see me. But now I know you can't judge.

I get home. It is shabbos. My family is in middle of a meal. My mother hugs me and cries. I am done crying for one day.

Baruch Hashem it was not a serious accident. My first and hopefully last.

Shabbos was restful even though I wish I had gotten a chance to take a shower.

Sunday was wedding day... more excitement to come in the next installment of 'The longest eight minutes of my life."