I not only came close to drowning on a couple of occasions, but I seemed especially vulnerable to being hit by cars. As I remember, I was hit by 2 cars and a bus on separate occasions in downtown Wallins. Did I go to the hospital? No way. I remember one of these accidents occurred when I was with my cousins. We were attempting to cross the street. They ran across the street, but when I followed I didn't quite make it across. The car struck me so hard that the wheel would not roll until they bent the fender back out away from the wheel. You can imagine what my head looked like. Large knots all over my head. We call these hematomas today. It almost killed me, but I survived.
Another time while I was playing touch football on Back Street where I lived, I was struck from the back and knocked to the side of the road by a car. This was also quite painful and may be a contibuting factor to the back problems that I currently endure. The bus that hit me as I was crossing the street, knocked me tumbling head over heels into a plate glass storefront. I got up and dusted myself off with no significant injuries other than to my pride.
One accident that really struck fear in my heart, happened when I was watching my younger brother Ronnie who was almost 10 years younger than me. Mom had asked me to watch him. And knowing that she was quite fond of him, I knew that my well being was tied to his continued good health. With my usual risk taking and life on the edge, I did a stupid thing. While riding in the bed of Pearl Ed Hensley's Willys Jeep truck to move some furniture, I thought it would be more comfortable riding in an easy chair. Of course I had to ride in the chair with Ronnie in my lap. As we were going up Back Street, Pearl Ed turned left and me and Ron went right. Right out of the back on my head of course. Fortunately, Ronnie's fall was cushioned by my body. What else? The only thing I could think of was, " I had got my brother killed." I knew Mom wouldn't be thrilled about this. Never mind that I looked like I had just been run over by a runaway locomotive. My thought process at the time was not focused on myself but rather on my brother. We survived, however. Thank you Lord.
The one thing that was unique in each of these accidents by todays standards is that I did not go to the hospital. I never even saw a doctor. This would be unthinkable today.
Upon reflection of my boyhood, one might say that I was lucky to be alive, given all the situations that I placed myself in. I like to think of it as divine intervention instead of luck. God had a bigger plan for my life. I was only to discover this later on in life.
