I am writing this post under duress. I need to vent and let this out. An hour ago I almost died, thanks to a reckless driver.
Today was a normal day. I woke up and prepared Gabo for school and gathered the snowmen and the candy canes that I made for the classroom last night. We got to school and I helped with breakfast, as usual. I drove Gabo's dad to his appointment and went back to school.
It was a very exciting day for me, well for everybody, because today we were receiving a new student. when I got back, the new student was already there. He is a child with autism. As a parent I see this as a great learning experience for my son and his classmate. There are other special needs children in the classroom, my son included, but he is the only one with Autism.
He is such a loving boy. He very quickly wanted to be picked up and carried. and I was telling him about the colors. And the teacher started to read a story in the circle, but he wouldn't sit. He was mesmerized by the light of the Christmas Tree. And the desire to go back to school and finished my degree burned more than ever inside. I was loving all this interaction with the new kid.
As the end of the day neared, the children were taking home all the drawings and crafts that we made in November. The teachers were handing the things to the parents and I started cleaning the classroom and gathering the materials needed to finish the snowmen for tomorrow.
In Puerto Rico the speed limit in a school zone is 15mph. I, like a lit of parents, parked the car on the sidewalk, to avoid traffic jams, because there is no parking at the school. So like any normal day I go out to the car and I was getting my son on his booster seat. Out of the corner of my eye I see a brown reflection coming towards me, way faster that 15mph. I immediately brought myself as close to the car as I could and held my son to protect him and allow the other car to go by. All I remember is I was grazed with the rearview mirror on my lower back and I heard the commotion. When I stood properly, I was almost missing the passenger door. I checked that my son was okay and yelled to the person on the other car, who was parked at the corner. The person came back, it's a 22 year old girl with no driver's license. She is also a mom at the school. Her reaction "I am so sorry about you car, and the door. I can't help you because I have no license and this isn't my car." My reaction "Oh I am sorry you are sorry but I have to call the cops." The lady "But I said I am sorry. This is the second time this happens to me. Bad things happen, can we arrange this without the cops. I am very sorry for your car." Mama "Lady, I don't give a damn about the car... you almost killed me. If I didn't push myself to the inside of my car as much as I could you would have pinned me in between. I am calling the cops".
Needless to say, she accompanied me to the precinct and to my surprise was very honest with the events. She apologized again for the car, apparently my life wasn't important. We filed the report and she got cited for driving without a permit and reckless driving in a school zone.
I am shaken up. What if I hadn't catch the glimpse in the corner of my eye. What if my son would have been standing there...
Guess tomorrow I am going to city hall to request a police officer posted there when the kids come out, AGAIN!!! I would hate to see that they are going to wait until a tragedy does occur.
Anyway, thanks for listening to me, reading me I should say, whoever you are out there.
Till next time... make it a great day.
Lucy
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