I woke up happy today.

I thought of yesterday’s unseasonably warm weather and hoped for the same sunshine and warm breeze today.

While driving in the early morning -I did a quick mental note of what needed to be done today with my students. _________ met her goal yesterday and the new student showed progress only after being in school for two days. Although it was only Wednesday a lot of great things happened on Monday and Tuesday and I was looking forward to the same success today.

Our craft project ran smoothly yesterday. We had a good number of parents participating and assisting with all the painting, cutting and gluing that takes place in a preschool classroom.

I was thinking of the students that were absent yesterday and hoping they will be in school today to complete their own project as we prepare for our school wide art show.

As Red Hot Chili Peppers crooned from my car stereo I chose not to beep at the car ahead of me that sat motionless at the now green traffic light. “It’s all good”, I thought to myself as I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel.

And that’s when it happened.

B- A- N-G!

My head thrusted forward and then snapped back-hitting the head rest with so much force my work bag spilled forward-contents flying everywhere. Looking up, the once stationed car ahead of me was gone. I look in my rear view mirror and see a white male in a dark suv or Jeep of some kind. He’s still.

As I attempt to unbuckle my seat belt I realize with horror that he’s no longer still.

He’s driving.

My hands move frantically trying to unclip myself from the seat. My hands fail me. I’m shaking. Im stumbling. I hear myself yelling.

“NO!”

He’s gone.

With a throbbing head and tightened lower back muscles I tell myself to calm down. I can’t believe this shit just happened. As I begin to gather my thoughts a kind face appears a the driver’s side window. She taps the glass and I roll the window down and she says:

“It’s ok. I saw everything“.