#i started this at 11am and am finishing it now at 3:20pm

[miafic]

thinking about somebody getting in a car accident with someone they love, and that person is unconscious (driver or not) and -

hang on

~

AU ONLY!!!

~

geoff blinks awake to a sharp pain in his ribs and left shoulder. he winces as he sits up, and he realizes that he’s looking through the windshield at a clear, sunny day. 

what?

he rubs at his shoulder and turns to the passenger seat. 

awsten is beside him, still in his seat with his seatbelt on, thank goodness, but the passenger window is shattered, and it broke right over his head. he’s cut all over and bleeding profusely. 

geoff lets out a sound of panic and, too afraid to attempt to wake awsten, scrambles for his cell phone. who should he call? this was a car crash. so he needs... he must need... 

who?

oh, yes - roadside assistance.

geoff calls his insurance company.

the automated machine asks for his sixteen-digit id number, so geoff digs through his wallet to find his membership card and slowly types it in, sure not to make any mistakes. then he types in his birthdate, answers a few yes or no questions, and waits to be connected to a representative.

the man who comes onto the line cheerfully greets him by name and asks how he can be of service. 

“yes, hello. my name is geoff wigington.”

“hi, geoff,” the man repeats, “how can i help you today?” 

“i believe that i have just been in an accident.” 

“oh, no! i’m so sorry to hear that. do you have a police report?” 

“my child is bleeding out in the passenger seat.” 

the man stutters, falls silent for a few seconds, and then says, “i’m sorry, did you say that your child is bleeding out?” 

“yes. i need assistance.” 

“did you call an ambulance?” the man asks a bit shrilly. 

“no, i have called you.” 

“did you miss the part where the recording says ‘if you are in a life-threatening situation or experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911′?!” 

the phone goes quiet, and after a long moment, geoff asks softly, worriedly, “hello?” 

a different man’s voice enters his ear. “hey, geoff. i’m david. tom’s telling me that you’re in an emergency right now?” 

“i do not know.” geoff suddenly feels all of the sharp pain from his injuries again. “i am very confused...” 

“it’s okay, geoff. i’m gonna get an ambulance for you, okay?” 

“for my boy,” geoff corrects.

“yes,” the man says warmly. “it’s gonna be alright. we’re going to get you both taken care of, okay? can you tell if he’s breathing?” 

geoff’s response comes in a whisper. “i am too afraid to check.” 

“geoff, i need you to check. i need you to check, geoff. you can do it, man. i’m right here, okay?” 

geoff is silent.

“what’s his name?” the man - david - presses. 

“awsten,” geoff whispers. 

“awsten. that’s a great name. can you just look at awsten for a few seconds? look at his belly and tell me if you can see it moving. that’s all i need you to do, okay? you don’t need to touch him or move him or nothing; just look at your baby for me.”

the man sounds so kind and so gentle and encouraging that geoff finds himself saying, “alright. one moment.”

“great, geoff, thank you.” 

geoff turns his head again, not daring to look at awsten’s face and focusing only on his abdomen. awsten’s stomach is moving, and geoff begins to cry with relief. “he is breathing,” he reports, voice trembling.

“good. you did so good, dad. oh, man, i’m so happy to hear that, you don’t even know. you did great. okay, we got you a ambulance on the way, and they’re gonna come help you guys, okay? are you in pain?”

“intermittently,” geoff replies truthfully. 

“okay, that’s normal, man. that’s normal. where’s your pain at?” 

geoff tells him, and david keeps him on the phone for several minutes until an ambulance arrives. a moment later, another one follows behind it. police join the scene shortly after. 

geoff watches like a hawk as paramedics remove awsten from the car, place him on a stretcher, and load him into an ambulance. he doesn’t remember much after that.

six days later, geoff calls his insurance company asking for an address to mail some things for david. his concussion has cleared enough that he understands that what he did was wrong (although he cannot find it in himself to feel much guilt; he suffered a mild brain injury and was in an immense amount of shock) and that david quite possibly saved their lives. even though the first man had explicitly mentioned it to him, calling 911 never even crossed geoff’s mind. he doesn’t want to think about what would have happened had that man ended the call there.

he writes as much in the letter.

~

dear david,

my name is geoff wigington. i am an english teacher from a small town near houston. i was the victim of a hit-and-run on an interstate last week, and, due to the fog from my concussion, i contacted your company instead of phoning an ambulance. your quick thinking saved my son’s life. 

i understand that the situation must have been alarming for you, and for that i deeply apologize. i am aware that i can never repay you for the calm demeanor that you maintained and the compassion that you showed me in the most frightening moment of my life. had you not contacted emergency services, my awsten would be long gone, and i do not know where i would be today in any sense.

i escaped with two broken ribs, a fractured humerus, and a grade three concussion. awsten also experienced a grade three concussion, and he suffered several lacerations from broken glass (he is being held together by nearly one hundred stitches as i am writing this to you). he was bleeding internally as well. and you have saved his life. 

i can never thank you enough for what you have done -not even for half - but i intend to try in some form. please accept these flowers and this donation, which is to be used for anything you wish. should you ever need anything, please let me know. 

i have attached some photos of awsten as well so that you may see him. the picture in the sunflowers is from last summer, and it is my favorite image of him in existence. the photo of the two of us is from the day that he attempted to teach me how to take a ‘selfie’. and last, there is a picture from his high school graduation last year. he looks quite triumphant, doesn’t he? 

thank you again, david. truly. we are both forever indebted to you. i hope that the monetary gift does not offend you; i merely do not know what i could ever give that would mean even a fraction of as much as what you have given me. 

thank you, david, for saving my son. 

sincerely, g. wigington

~

the story makes the news two days in a row - Harris County Teacher Gives $75,000 to Insurance Operator Who He Credits With Saving Son’s Life.

“whom,” geoff mutters dryly. 

awsten reaches out to lightly punch his elbow.

geoff smiles over at him in his hospital bed and allows himself to brush his fingers over awsten’s cheek.

awsten is quiet as they run the sound bite again - 

“i am very confused...” comes geoff’s wobbling voice.

“it’s gonna be alright,” david says. “we’re going to get you both taken care of, okay? can you tell if he’s breathing?”

“i am too afraid to check.”

“geoff, i need you to check. i need you to check, geoff. you can do it, man. i’m right here, okay? look at his belly and tell me if you can see it moving. that’s all i need you to do, okay? you don’t need to touch him or move him or nothing; just look at your baby for me.” 

geoff’s muffled voice shakily replies, “he is breathing,” his relief palpable. 

“good. you did so good, dad. oh, man, i’m so happy to hear that, you don’t even know. you did great. okay, we got you a ambulance on the way, and they’re gonna come help you guys, okay?”

geoff watches awsten watch the rest of the segment, and when it ends, awsten tips his head up a little so that he can see geoff better. 

“so,” awsten croaks. 

“so,” geoff whispers back. 

[thewanderingmacy]

Kutna Hora, Plzen and Karlovy Vary (all in Czech Republic)

Following Prague, I arrived in Kutna Hora (I know mother gets a kick out of that name). My hotel was right next to the train station and was run by an old Czech couple who didn’t speak much english. I’d booked a 3-bed dorm room but I was the only one there so woohoo. I was only there for a night, though and, after arriving at 11am, and vedging for an hour, went to see the Sights. I started with the famous Ossuary, which is where the skeletons of 40,000 Medieval people are used to elaborately decorate the interior of the building. Honestly it was very cool and interesting but it fell slightly from my expectations. It just wasn’t as grand as I thought it was gonna be but I mean, it’s still weird and interesting to see. After that, I walked 30 minutes to the town center where I saw some great architecture, some cute shops, some nice gardens and a really massive cathedral. All great photo ops, all made for a solid day visit. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I am so quick (for better or for worse) when I see things. Like I had a list of places to check out to cover the whole town and I finished after like 2 and a half hours. I went back to my room and watched some TV shows (I have 4 shows on a roster) and woke up the next morning to travel to Plzen. I arrived at like 5pm which was late enough for me to call it a day (lol) so I went grocery shopping, made dinner and returned to my shows. The good thing about these days of travel is I read a lot from my massive 1400 page European history book. I’m into the 16th century now but I’m only halfway done. 

The next day, I explored Plzen. It was more or less the same (good for the Czech Republic or, rather, Bohemia to be specific, for keeping their architecture uniform) but it was still nice to see. I saw the 2nd largest synagogue in Europe (the largest in coming up on my travels) and visited the town square where I saw another cathedral and explored the old town hall for a bit. Then I went on a tour of the underground streets of Plzen, ones that had been used for storage and illegal pubs in the Medieval times. It was convenient and lucky, as I arrived at 2:15pm and the only English tour of the day was at 2:20pm. It was just me a couple Indian guys. The tour was decent enough, I felt fulfilled. The tour also came with a free voucher to try Plzen’s famous beer that they’d been producing since the middle ages so (I know what I said before but) I figured I’d try it so I could say I did. I got the free thing, took a sip and, disgusted, sat down without touching it again. I ran off quickly after that as I didn’t want to face the employees. Finally, I went to a Puppet Museum where I saw some cool 19th and 20th century puppets from Czech circuses and, later, TV programs. Puppets are really common in the Czech Republic, specifically Prague. 

Yesterday I travelled to Karlovy Vary (where I’m writing from). I did another day of travel, arriving at 5:30pm and resting for the day. Today, however, I went out and saw the town. It became famous in the 19th century because of it’s hot springs, where celebs like Karl Marx and the aristocracy would visit to relax and get medically treated with the “healing” water. The buildings along the river are stunning and very posh feeling. There’s a lot of pumps to drink the water from, as an experience, with large crowds gathered to get a sip. I tried it. It tasted like warm, bitter carbonated water- a very strange thing to drink, nonetheless. I wandered the buildings, a lot of Colonnades and a church, and took more photos, before heading back to my room. As per usual, I was quick. Saw the buildings, did the water thing, took photos and that was it. Everything is beautiful and I think I’m experiencing everything as I should be but it’s all very quick.

Macy

[mauridianhallow]

how was your day off? what did you do?

Oh. My. God. My Day Off™ (as we shall be referring to it) was AWESOME! Mediocre in some regards, but we must remember it is not the extravagance of the act but the freedom to act itself that made my Day Off™ so good, and why I have been looking forward to it for weeks! This is gonna be a long one, because I am so excited to talk about it, so strap in friends. Let’s go! We shall begin, as all stories must, at the beginning. Saturday 18th of November. 12:30AM. I have just finished work, my cousin’s funeral had been on the Friday, and I had been working in my family’s pub at the wake, (big Irish Catholic fam, take the stereotypes and multiply them by a random number, you’re probably right) and after finishing cleaning and making sure my bar is absolutely spotless, my aunt and I finally locked up. It was now, officially, my Day Off™. The first thing I did was crack open a beer. A Miller’s. I’m not usually a fan of American beer (because in all seriousness most of it is catpiss) but this? This beer? This beer which I was able to sit in my kitchen, speaking to friends, and just Enjoy™? It was the second best tasting beer I have ever tasted. I went upstairs, having informed the world through Snapchat that for the next 24 hours, I was free, and just stripped off. I just got to stand there, had a look at the scars on my back, my leg muscles, the bruises and cuts on my arms. Life. I realise I’m always rushing about, always from one thing to the next, sometimes that takes a tole on your body and while that’s nothing to be ashamed of, as I stood there naked I decided that sometimes I was a little hard on my body, the only one I’ll ever have, and I’m gonna look after it a little. After all, it’s my body’s Day Off™ as well. I ran a bath, I don’t usually get a chance for a bath, but my aching muscles needed it. One of my best friends, Carol, works in Lush and for my birthday a few months back she got me a bath bomb, so it seemed I was going all out this evening. It was 1:15AM. The bath was heavenly. I got to take care of myself, my body, my spirit felt rejuvenated, I got an opportunity to shave for the first time in a while, and when I stood up to get out of my bath, I felt prepared for the coming day. Just as I went to enter my bedroom, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror in the spare room, it wasn’t the same body that went in, it truly looked relaxed. It felt it too. 1:45AM. I’m still 100% awake, I’ve had a coffee and I decide to catch up on some shows I’ve not had the opportunity to see because of life. The latest episodes of Flash and Arrow, I’m excited for the 2 night crossover event and put the date in my planner. I switch to Designated Survivor, a show on Netflix that I’ve become addicted too and although it’s very “feel good, good guy always wins, moral of the story is...” kinda show, there’s nothing wrong with that. I love it! It’s about 4AM now, some sleepiness has started to come over me, my eye lids are getting a little heavier and I know I’ll be sleeping soon. I give myself a long sleep when I set my alarm, for about 11AM, because I deserve it. Why not, eh! The sleep was perfect, I had wonderful dreams about my friends, about the Reading and Leeds Festival during the summer, and when I woke up it was naturally with no alarm blaring, no one knocking on my door reminding me I have responsibilities. It was 10:45AM. I get up, stretch and go make myself some breakfast, no one is home (and won’t be until 7PM) so I don’t bother even dressing. There’s something strangely liberating about being able to wake up, walk downstairs, make and eat breakfast naked. But I’ll move on, I’m sure no one wants to hear about THAT hahah! When I’m deciding what to wear for heading into Glasgow, I pass over the darker colours of my wardrobe, no greys or blacks today, no today I want to walk down the street and feel awesome! I settle for my blue tight-fit gym t-shirt, my red tartan (plaid?) shirt to go over it, blue jeans and a pair of nice brown winter boots I bought a while back and never really had the chance to wear. I’m wearing my expensive underwear, it’s comfy and I feel great. To cap it all off, my blue double breasted long coat, the very same one I wore when I was 17 and walked into my last year of High School. I have a special connection with this coat, and I always feel great wearing it! I pack my bag, not of study material for today I refuse to study, but with my notebook and planner, a book I haven’t had the chance to finish in months, some snacks and a can of Arizona Green Tea. I wrap my scarf tightly around my neck and I walk out into the world! I catch the 11:21AM train into Glasgow, I’m going to get my phone screen repaired but I’m not worried. I’m messaging Chelsea, we’ve been talking a lot more recently and I like it. She tells me she’s working today, in Glasgow and I make a note of the time. If I get a chance I’ll pop in a say hello, if only briefly because I know she’ll be busy. I still feel great! It’s about 12PM that I finally get into the City, walking past the Counting House in George Square, I decide to jump in for a quick pint. I know there’s football on today so the place is packed. I only stayed for 30 minutes but I reminded myself I wasn’t jumping from one thing to the next today, I was under no obligation to hurry. It felt nice. When I reached the Apple Store, I entered into its clinical environment reminded of how cut off this place is from the rest of the world. I hand my phone in, they quote me a time of around 4/5PM, and when I leave I feel strange. I really am so used to having my phone in my pocket, I fidget with it a lot, I feel slightly cut off and while there’s a brief moment of anxiety, it soon passes. The world in mine today. I visit some shops, most are preparing for Christmas time and all look beautiful. I have about 3 hours to kill, to do what I want. As I’m passing by the Stairs at the Buchanan Galleries Concert Hall (if you’ve ever been in Glasgow you’ll know the ones) and am hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia. I’ve had so many good memories here; shopping trips with my parents as a kid, summer days as a teen, first kisses, teenage crushes, political rallies, moments of pure peace and moments of excitement! I’ll be truly sad when they are gone to make way for something else but I smile as I head to the cinema. There’s only one thing for it today, Justice League! I’ve been so excited for this! I can’t wait to see my childhood heroes come together, I haven’t been this excited for a superhero team up film since the Avengers all those years ago! I pass by the machines that let you book tickets immediately, and go to stand in line. Not because I don’t want to use the machines, but because I very rarely get to go through the excitement of the cinema experience. Standing in line, buying a ticket, talking with the people and what they think of the film. Again, it’s the freedom to do it that I am enjoying! It’s about 1:20PM. The film is beautiful, so fantastic, and while this blog post isn’t a film review, I will definitely recommend it! If someone had told little 12 year old me that one day I would be seeing live action adaptations of my heroes, he would’ve cried probably. A slight tear did in fact gather, more of nostalgia than anything else, for the innocence of childhood and how I really do need to remind myself to enjoy the little things more. When I leave the film, the wind and cold hit me but I’m smiling and very happy! I jump into the Apple Store to check how the phone is coming along and they say about half an hour until it’s finished. I thanked the lady and decided I have time to jump in to Chelsea’s work, say hello, and grab a coffee. I just hope it’s not too busy! When I walked in the door I managed to get a look at her without her spotting me. She was so excited to get this job, and I can definitely see why! She seems in her element, and happy! We speak briefly, joke a little, I pick up my coffee and go sit in the corner. I’m in no rush. I bring out the book I’ve been reading throughout the day in the small moments I get between things, and finish a couple chapters, I’m so close to the end! My coffee tasted great, extra caramel, whip cream and all! Just as I check my watch for the time I see it’s 4:15PM, but because I promised myself there would be no rushing today, I stay seated. My drink isn’t finished, and I’m enjoying my book. I give it another 10 minutes and as I go to leave I try to say goodbye to Chelsea, although the shop is quite busy now and I’m not sure she heard me. No worries though! I do make a promise to try and see her more often, maybe we could do something around Christmas time, but I put it from my head and leave to pick up my phone. I am content. The people at Apple were very nice, I had expected to be paying upwards of £100 for this new screen, but I was told that I was under warranty and it wouldn’t cost me a penny! I am elated! This day just gets better and better and better! I check my watch and see it’s about 4:25PM, and start walking to High Street. There’s music in my ears, memories of a good day in my head and happiness in my heart! I could have went to Queen Street, it’s closer but as I say again, it wasn’t the need to hurry that was driving me today, but the choice to relax and enjoy myself. The walk was very nice, the train journey nicer. I managed to finish my book, and while we all know the emotions around finishing a book you’ve been trying to read for months, I was very very happy. I used the train WiFi to but some Christmas presents for my niece and nephew, and when I got home, into the heat, there was no collapse of exhaustion. No falling onto my bed dramatically, I got into my pyjamas and jumped into bed. A quick nap, I deserved it. When I wake, it’s about 8PM, I’m rested and feel hungry and decide I don’t want to cook tonight, I’m going to treat myself to a pizza takeaway! I spend the rest of the night talking to friends, messaging Chelsea, eating and playing some of the new Assassin’s Creed. I can’t remember what time I went to sleep, because I didn’t need to worry about it. The day ended with complete contentment, my heart felt light and my head cleared. My Day Off™ had been perfect. Did I do much? Maybe not. But everything I did do was because I COULD! Let’s look at it like this; I slept late, got my phone fixed, did some Christmas shopping, saw a film I’ve been excited about for a long time, saw a girl I hadn’t seen in months, had great coffee, ate great food, napped out of deserving not out of exhaustion, played some video games, and fell asleep at a time I didn’t need to worry about. No studying. No work. No responsibilities. Perfect. And that my friends is the very long story of my Day Off™. It was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. I hope I get another some point soon. Thank you for asking Anon, that was very nice of you. I just woke up about 20 minutes ago, it’s 8:18AM, Sunday 19th of November. It’s no longer my Day Off™. And life is good.