Laurie Marie Thinks

SKREEEETCH.

And so ends my life.

Ok, maybe I am over-exaggerating. But it is slightly scary to hear truck tires squealing. Especially when you didn’t grow up in a traffic-heavy area. I could jay-walk in Kindersley and stop in the middle of the street to write and novel and not get hit. Not to mention the farm, where you could sit on the road and have a nap and no one would notice. Ah, the safety that is rural Saskatchewan.

I was crossing the pedestrian crosswalk with some friends today after school. One car had already stopped for us (there are no lights – very dangerous) and I was leadin’ the pack, doin’ my thing when I hear the low, evil rumble of a jacked-up truck. VROOOM GRRRGRRRGRRR. Immediately after I heard the SKREEEETCH and the SQEEEEEEEEAL of Buddy’s over-sized tires. Dude didn’t really come that close to me (he was about 2 feet or so from the crosswalk) but still. They need lights there goddamnit, especially at dark.

I had also gotten out of the way (maybe not jumped back. I call it the cautionary lean.) so I wasn’t in any real danger. In hindsight, I am glad that Buddy didn’t get out of his truck and try to hurt me.

After I quickly made sure that I didn’t do anything embarassing (because I am sure I could have topped almost getting hit) I went on my merry way.

I’m sure Buddy went home and told everyone how he almost hit some kid.

Yikes.

So, remember to look both ways and shoot off traffic flares when crossing Edmonton streets in the dark.