Monday, January 12, 2009

Fancy News - Ambulance loses traction, dances into tractor trailer, entrancing tripped-out townies, trapping traffic.

This parking spot offers a fine view of fully one third of the controlled intersections (there are three) in Springfield, Vermont, City of Lights and Official Home of the Simpsons, on most days, and it did not fail to amuse and astound today.
At around three o'clock PM, at around five minutes before the hour, traffic was just pulling into the shoulders to clear a path for the approaching ambulance - it's yeowl plainly heard by all even though most drivers would be motoring with windows shut on a day like today.
Indeed, most drivers managed to yield a few feet, but the driver of the truck hauling heavy equipment had nowhere to move to, and he wisely stayed still as the soon-to-be-airborne ambulance approached, at high speed and apparently at high enough speed.
The ambulance approached and made a failed attempt at a Hollywood move at the last moment, and instead of a neat sideswipe about the truck through the ample path made available by compliant drivers, the ambulance neatly shmooshed into the side of the unmoving dead weight of the loaded tractor trailer - no bounce from the ambulance as it connected, no recoil, nothing but a gentle and firm stop, that ambulance was as nailed to the Earth as if it was welded in place.
After considerable moments, the driver began to show signs of recovering from the shock of the moment, then a bystander approached to see if any of this was real, then the driver finally alighted to inspect also and see if it really happened.


Finally, there arrived adequate police officers inspecting and directing traffic, even though it was observed that at least one old bat with a sensible haircut driving a pale colored Subaru wagon ignored the officer's direction and yelling, (she even slowed down to turn and look at him, then turned back to her mission and continued driving ahead without stopping for any of the other police officers who gaver her stern looks with hints of rebuke in their eyes, yes Agnes Knowles Benedergrafft, you know who you are).
And finally, the victim was carried out of the arena, with damage on display for all of us to see, proof that there is plenty of excitement in Springfield, Vermont, City of Lights and Official Home of the Simpsons.