The phone rang this AM. I rarely receive a phone call. What could this be about? I live at Dominican Oaks, in Santa Cruz, California. Residents had formed a Writing Group and they were asking me to join them this coming Saturday. Since this was a writing group, I assumed they expected this to include an article or story in written format.
Disaster! I don’t have anything written. Let’s face it, I had nothing in my mind either. A blank is the subject in my mind. When the phone had rung, I wasn’t thinking of anything then. I had been reading a book from the site library. I am desperate. Any ideas? The book was about people living in Northern Europe. Maybe I could find a book that could give me some ideas for a story.
The Lady who gave the announcement gave me some encouragement. The speed that ideas now arrived was unbelievable. None. What events in life I had experienced that had good results? Yes, I think I remember one. Had to go back many years.
I had worked as an engineer doing fire prevention. I visited places and reviewed their fire protection plans, status, etc. and informed them and their insurance company if status was good and any changes if needed. While visiting a facility, a plant official showed me their new product, a seat belt for auto passengers. This was the start of seat belts in automobiles. It sounded like a good idea. A few pictures of staged accidents confirmed his views. He sold me the safety belt, how to mount and install then including type of mounting equipment.
So, I took the belts etc. home. The next day, the week end, I mounted the seat belt. We were headed for a big family party on Sunday, about a 2-hour trip with bouncing teenagers. Ooops, new belt ended bouncing.
Uncles, cousins, etc. were interested. Seat belts in autos was a new idea. Told them where they could buy belts etc. and how to install. They decided they were going to get some installed.
A couple of weeks later my wife and I wondered what if anything had happened regarding the seat belts. One week later and we got a phone call about my uncle hitting a tree. It was winter time and he hit a slippery spot on the road and slid off into the tree. Destroyed car. Police arrived and wanted to know where the driver was. The police could not believe a person could live through the accident. They claimed the driver could not have lived thought the accident.
The cousin laughed when he heard the story. He had the same experience with the police when he had an accident.
I have to say my wife’s relatives became quick believers in seat belts.