Just for the record, let me begin by saying that the Amish worship together every other Sunday. So with that, I didn't think much of seeing all the buggies on the road today. It's really quite fun and I enjoy seeing all of them and waving hi. But it's sometimes a pain because passing them on our country roads isn't always easy. And to say the least, there are a number of people who don't like the Amish and they don't slow down. So today when I saw a car coming down the road way to fast, my heart skipped a beat! And sure enough, the one thing I didn't want to see happen, happened!!!
That darn car went by a million miles an hour and I saw slush and snow spray all over the place! At the same time I saw the buggy start to swerve towards a deep, deep snow filled ditch! I could tell the driver was trying to straighten the horse and buggy out, but the wheel caught the edge of the berm and it sucked that horse and buggy right in, and Lord when it went it, it went in hard!!!!! I hit my brakes just as fast, threw the truck into park, hit the emergency flashers and was out the door just as I saw a head begin to pop out of that overturned buggy!
I had no idea of how many people were going to be in it either. All I could picture was small babies and children and my heart was pumping and boy was I mad that the car that started the mess didn't even slow down! When I saw the head coming out of the buggy, I hollered to ask if anyone was hurt or there were more people inside. The young man just shook his head and said he was the only one as he jumped out to grab the struggling horse! He went on one side and I went on the other and we didn't even talk. I was counting my lucky stars that I had harnessed a few horses in my lifetime because I knew what straps to unfasten! I don't even think I thought much about it, it just came natural and it was only just a few second and we had the horse free of the buggy. I was just elated to see that horse and drive were uninjured! Oh Praise the Lord I said and the kid looked at me funny, sort of shocked, and I smiled at him and told him that God really was looking down on us and he laughed and agreed.
So we stood in the snow and looked at the overturned buggy and began to discuss how we might get it back on the road. And of course I saw a couple more cars go by and not one soul stopped, I was getting so mad I could spit. So I held the horse and the boy tried to upright the buggy and he managed to get it off it's side, but it was still deep in the ditch! So I thought about the straps I had in my truck and he held the horse while I ran to get them. So between us taking turns, we got the truck tied to the buggy and I tried to pull it out backwards, but the straps broke! I was so mad and I told the kid to let me try and make a call to get some help.
Well next thing I know a van stopped and a young man in blue got out and jumped right in the ditch with the other lad and they started talking. A woman got out of the van and I thanked her for stopping and started to feel a bit better. Well when I saw her cap, I knew why she stopped, she was Mennonite! Oh praise God I thought, this was the kind of help we needed. Then here came another buggy over the hill and we all sort of cheered and smiled! More help of the right kind! People who cared and didn't turn their backs on those in need of help!
Well the lady blocked traffic at one end and I held the horse and blocked traffic the other way. There were four boys and men and together they manage to pull and push that buggy back onto the road. It was only a minute or so and we had that horse hitched back up to the buggy and everyone started to pull away. But somehow I knew I wasn't done!!!! I had this little thing in my heart that told me not to pass that horse, a spooky and young two year old colt with lots to learn. And when that buggy started off again, I hung way back and put on my emergency flashers again.
LOL, those flashers did the trick too! That buggy had a bent wheel and so the buggy was sort of weaving down the road. So I just hung back and blocked the road behind me hahahahaha! Pretty soon I had a parade of cars behind me too, and not one of them tried to pass either! LOL, I hung the yellow line in the center just good enough to make them think twice about it too. Darn it I thought, not one of you is going to cause another wreck!
So just up the road before the stop sign, I saw that buggy hang a left down a long snow covered lane! So just as I reached to turn off my flashers, I saw a head pop out the side of the buggy and the boy smiled and waved! I gave him a thumbs up and sped up a bit. I was feeling good again and knowing he and that horse were safe did me even better. I turned my radio with my Sunday morning music on it up and blasted it all the way home! Hahahhahahaha!
So if you ever see a buggy or a rider on a horse, please do slow down. The life you save might not just be your own, but that of possibly many! I have driven buggies, rode horses, and even driven a race horse a few times now, and one thing I can tell you is that it only takes one careless act to kill a horse or a driver or a rider or even an innocent passerby! Anyways, hope your Sunday was as blessed as mine! I won't be forgetting this one for a while and I sure will be happy knowing that not one soul or animal got hurt! See God does look after his flock!
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