I flipped my car Tuesday. Wait, that’s probably not the best way to start a story.
Let me back up.
I flipped my car Tuesday, and I’m fine. My car’s a tank and was barely damaged. I’m less of a tank, but because my car is one, I also only suffered minor damage (an elbow contusion, according to the hospital).
But my crash reinforced something I’ve known for a long time: the people who live in this town, we Bonaventure students crash for a few months a year, are wonderful. Really, really wonderful.
The second I crashed, I thought through how I was going to get out of my car: my phone had flown out of the cup holder, destination unknown, and I was in the middle of nowhere. I wasn’t sure if anyone was nearby.
But almost immediately, a woman and an elderly couple were at my side. The woman called the police for me and calmed me down. The elderly couple instructed me to turn off my car and tried to find a way to get me safely out.
EMS came within five minutes, which was great in its own right, but the care with which they treated me was even better.
When they finished ensuring I wasn’t concussed, confused or otherwise injured, they sat and talked with me until my family members could come. The EMT, Stan, gave me a hug before he let me go.
When I was done in the ambulance, I made sure to thank the woman who called 911 for me — only to find out it was her yard I rolled into. She gave me a hug and told me she was only glad I was okay.
The sheriff who responded made jokes with me and kept reassuring me I wasn’t in trouble.
A firefighter found some loose change when he helped readjust my car and made sure to give it to me — “Every bit helps,” he joked. I guess that’s true.
And obviously, my family was great — my brother and my mom’s best friend (who also responded! How wonderful is that?) cleaned the glass from the woman’s front yard for me, gave me water, and helped me calm down. They also forced me to go to the hospital — I felt fine, but you never know.
There’s not much worse than having to go to the ER, I guess, but all of the nurses, receptionists and radiologists I had to deal with were pleasant and upbeat, even in spite of how difficult their jobs are.
There’s something special about this town. Tuesday should have probably been one of the worst days of my life, but the people who helped me quickly and with a lot of care made it just another day — albeit a pretty weird day.
So, Go Bonas, for sure, but Go Allegany, too. Go Olean.
mcelfrdh14@bonaventure.edu
