Dinner done early and the sky turning caramel orange, and golden creams, I asked my love to go for a ride to see the sun set. I’ll drive I said, camera in one hand, keys in the other. This way I knew that we would stop at the perfect shots. I drove because he tends to forget to react to “stop the truck” and by the time he stops we have long passed anything I would take a photo of.
It was a beautiful evening, the birds were chirping, the sun slowly caressing the mountains as it slipped into something a little more comfortable, and we cruised along those empty country roads. And then just as I was focusing on a bright yellow glow trying to get the perfect sun flare shot, he yells out “watch where you are going.” The ditch looms up on his side of the road, I quickly turn the wheel and slam the brakes on. It was a close call, seriously too close for either of us.
I was embarrassed, first that I was caught taking a photo while driving at any speed. It’s not something I have done too often, deserted roads or not. Secondly that I had for just a moment forgotten that I was the one driving and not the passenger. I was so into my camera, the moment, the sunset, that I forgot he wasn’t driving. My bad, my really, bad, this post could have been brought to you by our collision repair service.
I am a very cautious driver, those drivers ed classes have stuck for decades, but for some reason I forgot where I was, let my guard down for just a second, and look what almost happened. It was a straight, long, deserted back country road, and we had not seen another vehicle for miles, but I could have ended up in a ditch, or worse.
I know that next time, I will ask my husband to drive if the camera is along for the ride, or else I will make myself come to a full stop, beautiful sunset on a deserted country road or not.
Do you ever let your mind wander, or your attention get away? Were there repercussions? Damage? Catching more then the sunset…