I woke up one morning just like I always do. Checked my cell phone for messages, took a quick scan of the news wires and moved on to enjoying a red velvet muffin for breakfast (what can I say, my mom spoils me). Hmm, the world is my oyster, what should I do today? Workout I thought, nah it’s my off day. Perhaps I would read if I wasn’t so winter break lazy. Finally, after much deliberation and harassment from my parents I decided to visit my grandmother in her new assisted living facility three towns over. How could I know the horrors that lay ahead? How could anyone?

Now, to be honest, maybe I’m not the bravest person in the world. After all, I hate horror movies, won’t go on a Ferris wheel and when my dad used to put me in the basement with the lights off when I was very young, but let’s just say I often needed an underwear change. I didn’t think courage was needed today when I borrowed my high school car from my brother. It’s an older model BMW that admittedly has needed some “attention” over the years but has always gotten me where I have needed to go in a smooth fashion. How could I know the horrors that lay ahead? How could anyone?

Driving down the Merritt Parkway at 60 miles-per-hour with an estimated time of arrival, 32 minutes. That was my thought as I approached cruising speed with a light rap song playing in the background. The first inclination that something was wrong was an innate sense I developed after about five minutes of driving. No sensors went off, no gauges blinking yellow, no siren, no horn.

However, something seemed off. My nose is in play now, picking up the faint smell of smoke, yet I see nothing. Gently I turn the radio nob down attempting to pick up the sound of something amiss. It’s like sitting home alone on a dark windy night, in an old creepy house, your senses are on overdrive. Suddenly there is a pop sound like a tire blowing out, causing me to ease my speed, Then smoke starts to billow from behind and I realize danger Will Robinson, danger. I pull over and as I do my engine explodes on fire. I don’t mean a little boy scout campfire, I mean a college bonfire. Fortunately I pulled over at the right time and saved myself from serious danger.

Everyone is watching now. Traffic is at a standstill in both lanes. They all want to see the idiot that blew up his car and caused the fire to shoot 8 feet in the sky. Unfortunately, I’m the idiot they are all taking cell phone videos of as they roll by at 5 miles per hour. Two fire departments show up to compete for putting the auto barbecue out as I just sit there thinking, “Do I still have my golf clubs in the drunk? I hope not because my dad sure isn’t going to buy me a new set”. They were rescued without harm.

As I stood along the side of the road waiting for the tow truck to take away my car and drop it off at the dump, all I could think of was how I’d tell my brother that our mom would be driving him to school the next day.