Smudger Snippets
Created | Updated Mar 31, 2005
I suppose it's because I have so much time on my hands these days, that all these memories come flooding back to me.
Suddenly
You know the feeling when you are driving along in the middle of the night; the road ahead is empty and quiet, the radio is playing, the heater is on and you just have that nice relaxing feeling as you listen to the hum of the engine. You are at peace with the world. All your thoughts are on what you are going to do when you eventually arrive home. A quick look at the clock tells you that you will be home in just over an hour when you will see the family again, after all it has been three weeks now.
It was a really lucky break that you managed to get away so early from the night shift on the site. It was only due to the fact that there was not that much welding being done that night, due to a large section of the rig being hoisted up into position, and that was going to take up most of the shift anyway. Besides, you knew all the welders who were actually welding that shift and that their quality of work has always been spot on in the past. You also knew the firms' welding inspector was a reliable bloke as well. Just as well that you had both worked together on an earlier job a couple of years ago.
Has it really been two years since we were up at Nigg together? That was some size of a jacket we built there - it kept us in work for over two years. In fact it was the largest oil rig support jacket ever built at the time. Indeed, it still is! We had some laughs during that time as well as some set backs. You remember giving that bloke a lift down as far as Inverness when we were all going on long weekend at the same time. You wish that it was you that was so close to home this time as you only had twenty six miles after the Inverness turn off. Now you have got a hundred and eighty miles to travel.
Speaking of winter you better open a window and see if it is really as cold as the temperature gauge is showing. Hey! It really is cold out there! Thats the weird thing about driving over these mountains, the temperature can drop suddenly just like that and then you're driving on ice! It's hard to believe that this road can be so quiet. Mind you, it is only three thirty in the morning. You reckon to be home by five if it stays as quiet as this as you have not seen another vehicle for the past half hour. So you sit back and stare at the white lines on the road as your head lights pick them out of the darkness. Just coming up to the end of that duel carriageway section, Ah! It gets boring when you know every stretch of road, all one hundred and eighty miles of it.
Then, out of the darkness, you see a set of hooves on your left. Funny, they are the same height as your headlights. Then bang! The lights go out, the car takes a severe swing to the right and you cannot control it! Now everything from this point on goes by you in slow motion, like a replay from a televised football game. You know that there is a crash barrier on your right, or have you passed it already? No, that is the car hitting it now!
Oh, no! The car is rising in the air. You try to steer it but to no avail. There must be something caught in the front wheels. It's going over, you can feel the set belt tighten around your shoulder, steady! Bang, it is down again, on its roof now. What's that scraping noise you can just hear above the sound of all that glass shattering? It's cold! Where is that cold air coming from? The car is spinning as it slides on its roof - must be at the other side of the road by now, it's not that wide! Maybe it's missed the crash barrier on the other side. Here it goes again. It's rising! God! It's hit the bank of the other side of the road; you remember seeing that a second ago as the car spun round. Oh! It's turning over again, is this ever going to stop? Last thing you saw before this was the front legs of a stag. It must have jumped out in front of the car.
Oh, God, if you make it stop now I will change, I promise! Over we go again. The seat belt is heavy on your shoulder. It must be upside down again - you have lost track. Must keep your arms tucked in as you can see the road surface flashing past through the open space where the window used to be. Why is the window smaller? The noise! It's stopping; please stop! Then that groaning noise as the car settles down. My God it's cold! Where have all the lights gone? Then silence. Nothing but quiet. Are you dead, is this heaven? Why are you sweating? It's not sweat, it's blood coming from your head. Hang on until you have a feel - if you can get that arm free.
Must get out here. Is that petrol you can smell? Must get out, now which was up? Just think, only a minute ago you were driving along in a nice warm car, how things can change so quickly. There, you are down now. That hurt so you were upside down after all. Then you crawl out of what used to be a window. The car is sitting at an angle. Quick check, any pain. Well at least you can move your arms and legs. Boy it's cold! Shivering now but at least you are clear.
Yes, it was petrol that you could smell. Keep crawling, must get away keep going. Then a blast of heat rushes past you, followed by a loud whoosh. The whole area is lit up; you can feel the heat. At least you're not cold now! You were lucky to have got out in time. How are you going to get home now? Why do you ask so many stupid questions? It's all right, no one can hear you anyway. Looks like you're going to have to sit there for a while until another car comes along. Why did you leave the site so early? Too late to think about that now. Fumbling to find your cigarettes, shaking hands trying to light it. Yes, you are lucky to be alive; the heat from that fire is warming your whole body.
Yes, thanks, you could do with a lift, officer. What's that? You got a phone call from a farmer saying he saw a fire on the road. That will be fine thanks. Just ask to be dropped off in Inverness and you will get picked up by a family member from there. Yes that is true; you will not forget this drive home for a long time. Thanks again, officer, and thank the boys from the fire brigade.
