Coming Clean

Dad, If you're still around and I am not, I have a confession.

I wrecked your Red Truck. I think it was a 1979 Ford. I don't remember much more than it was the kind of truck that was never pretty. I dont ever remember it getting washed. It was Rusty and Dusty. IT had a Bench Seat, but I dont think it had seat belts. I remember Trying to do a 0-60 time trial. It never made it. It got to like 52 and started to vibrate a lot, at 55 it didnt feel safe to drive. I had the pedal down for like 45 seconds to get it that fast.

One day, Daniel Jorgensen came over to play basketball, We wanted to shoot three pointers so we decided to go to the Grange. They had a Tennis/Basketball court with a three point line. He had his 3 wheeler. I dont remember why he didnt just get a ride with me.

I jumped in the truck and sped off, the gravel road was really dusty, i thought it would be funny to fishtail back and forth across the road to kick up dust. Daniel was driving behind me. I was spraying dust and gravel back at him fishtailing/drifting on the gravel.

At some point, I lost control of the vehicle, my options were to crash into the canal and sink the truck, or crash into the drainage ditch on the Jorgensen side of road N. I hit the dirt embankment, the truck went up in the air, and landed on its side in the ditch. I hit a pile of ash and it turned everything white.

I dont think i blacked out. But When I opened my eyes, the whole world was white. It was bright, i could not see my hand in front of my face, I thought I may have died. No pain, just a white light. Then I heard faintly, "Whitney, Whitney."

As the Dust settled i realized Daniel watched the whole thing. I was standing on the passenger door, i climbed vertically out the drivers window.

I was alive, but knew if you found out, i wouldn't be. Fortunately no one but Daniel was there, We hopped on the three wheeler and went back to the house, I fired up the loader tractor and drove down to the red truck.

The loader tracter had a three point attachment on the bucket for lifting. I put the chain around the bumper, and asked daniel to secure it while i lifted. He miss understood me and i hit him in the head with the bucket of the Loader. His left eye swelled up pretty quick but no bleeding. I put the tractor in reverse and pulled/backed the truck out. Only real damage was bending the bumper where the chain had attached. The other damage was the mirror bent.

I got the truck out, Returned the tractor, and we headed back to the Grange to let the adrenaline run out. We decided we would not lie about what happened, But we wouldnt have to tell the truth either. We decided that the truck was covered in mud and ash, I needed to wash it to prevent anyone from questioning. We also decided that it was scratched and dinged enough that the bumper wouldnt matter. Daniel said the only real problem would be the bruis on his head, if asked he would have to say where it came from. So He decided he would go shoot a basket and run into pole with his head. That way if asked, he could say, i hit the pole after a layup. So, not a lie, but not the truth either.

We got our stories strait. i took that red truck home and gave it the only wash it ever had. Satisfied, you would not ask questions, I waited till mom was in a good mood and/or distracted and said i got the truck stuck, but pulled it out. Both true-ish.

I dont think anything bad happened, but I was a much better driver and was alot more careful in the future.