Then I hear an enormous and rather prolonged groinging crash. It could be a tractor and trailor going over a bump, but somehow I don't think so. I dash out of the house and this, more or less, is what I see, except that no one else was around and the police hadn't yet arrived.
So I yell for my husband to call the emergency services, and run to the car, and close up, it looks even worse:
I don't recognise the car, because you don't recognise a car when it's upside down. I'm thinking oh my God, whoever is inside this is marmalised...
Then, through the side window, I see a foot waving: the foot is clearly that of an older lady, but I'm still not thinking with any great clarity. I wrench at the door, which is jammed. Neighbours arrive. We get the back door open: I look in, and there is my mother, lying on her back on the roof, smiling at me shakily and saying with great calm: "I'm all right! I'm all right!"
And miraculously, she was all right. She was able to sit up and shuffle out through the opened door, and by the time the fire brigade, police and ambulance services had arrived, she was sitting on my sofa, ready for a cup of tea, and apologising nicely to everyone: 'I'm so sorry to cause all this trouble!' - while the puppy made mad love to about six large policemen and paramedics clad in reflector jackets.
After they'd all gone, we had Mother's Day tea.
All I can say is...well, I find myself for once with nothing at all to say except there must be someone looking out for your mother. How terrifying. And wonderful that she escaped unharmed....I've thought of what to say: a big PHEWWWWWWW!
ReplyDeleteThis is the most incredible story I've heard in a long time and I'm so glad that the outcome is everyone safe and sound. I did wonder how your puppy reacted to all the commotion!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...a miracle that she was alright..but HOW did it happen? I want the rest of the story!
ReplyDeleteGood heavens - your poor mum! How on earth did she walk away from that? What a shock all round.
ReplyDeleteThe car is an automatic. She was parking, looked out, decided she was too far from the kerb, and in readjusting the position of the car, she seems to have hit the accelerator instead of the brake. We think. Then the car zoomed across the road, mounted a low wall with an earth bank behind it, and flipped.
ReplyDeleteShe's fine, though with some amazing bruises!
Oh Kath, what a shock for you! So glad she escaped with bruises, but I bet she's shaken up.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me a bit of when I rolled my mini (flipped it on its roof in almost exactly the same way and crawled out with bruises, after meeting a tractor on a narrow lane and mounting the verge). My mum was waiting for me to arrive at her house, so must have had the same sort of shock you had then.
It is a horrendous story but so much better than it might have been in the results. I hope you are all getting over the shock.
ReplyDeletePolly is going to be expecting visits from emergency service personnel as a regular feature. Let's hope she is wrong!
But as I said before, if it stops your mum from driving that's good. Still if it's an automatic, it means she pressed the accelerator instead of going into reverse and that is worse than if she had been in a manual when she could have pressed accelerator instead of clutch, if you see what I mean.
Two completely distinct actions - one with foot and one with hand. She MUST stop driving.
Kath! I was reading this holding my breath.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased she was okay, but you must have had a terrible fright, yourself.
I recall trying to persuade my elderly aunt to stop driving. She so desperately wanted to keep the independence of having her car but she wasn't aware enough and was a danger to herself as well as others. It is a difficult time. But someone must have been watching over her!
I agree, Mary - and so does she. So no more adventures!
ReplyDeleteLinda, it was a fright! It's a difficult decision, but she's made it, and decided to hang up her car-keys.
ReplyDeleteMy mother is, I must say, a remarkably calm woman in an emergency. She's not a strong swimmer, and years ago, on a family holiday by the seaside, got into difficulties when she was caught in a strong current. So she turned over on her back, floated, and waited till she was carried near some stronger swimmers much further out, whereupon she called politely, "Excuse me, I'm out of my depth and I'm being swept out to sea. Can you help me, please?' They swam over and one said suspiciously, 'Are you joking?'
ReplyDelete'No,' says my mother, 'I'm being swept out to sea. Could you tow me back to shore?'
Which they did. And my father, on the beach reading his newspaper, was quite oblivious of the whole drama.
I am SO glad she is alright. I know just how you felt. In October I persuaded my mum to hang up her carkeys after she blacked out at the wheel and crashed. Luckily she was doing 20mph and no one hurt including her. Am sure lovely pup is dreaming of being a Big Police Dog when she is grown up!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh - what an experience! My heart literally stopped just seeing the pictures and READING about it...I can't imagine what you went through, and on Mothers Day too!!
ReplyDeleteGlad everybody's okay :D