Around 120 pm, Céline and I arrive in Cahors. I am hungry and am looking forward to exploring the market at Saint-Etienne Cathedral Square. The market happens every Wednesday and Saturday in
Cahors. Over 100 vendors occupy both outdoor and indoor booths. I am sure I will find a few things to try.
In France, people shop for groceries in these weekly or by-weekly markets. Grocery stores in France are small and unlike those I know in North America. On the other hand, the weekly markets are like a high-end farmers' market on steroids. The quality and freshness of the fruits, vegetables, bread, pastries, cheese, meat, seafood, and poultry are unparalleled. In addition to fresh whole foods, a variety of vendors sell prepared food products, such as forcemeats, smoked meats, potted meats, sausage, and wine, among other things. It's a great way to experience local flavors and try new or seasonal foods.
"Buy whatever you fancy, and I'll do the same. Then we'll figure out how to make it work," says Céline as we split up. This market is fantastic! There are so many things to see that I need to pass through at least a few times before deciding what to pick up. It's a little quirk that I have picked up when unfamiliar with what is available at a market. It is one of the reasons why I enjoy wandering through markets so much. I don't mind how long it takes. I find that by doing this, I can piece together meal plans in my head based on what I see.
As the market closes, Céline finds me. She has a sack full of fresh produce and other products for the coming week when her boys visit. I also have a full bag from the market. Have you ever tried Terrine de Rabbit? I ask. She shakes her no. Then she says, "If it looked good to you, that is all that is important. Do we need wine too?" Yes, I'd love to try a local wine for the aperitif.
We find a local vendor selling Bio wines. The lady is behind a counter in a little van that resembles an ice cream truck. She educates us on regional wines near Cahors. Bio or Biological Wines are Organic, produced from 95% grapes, and without chemicals. Although only 9% of wineries offer Bio Wines in France, but their availability and taste have grown drastically in popularity recently. After a short discussion, Céline and I each buy a different bottle to try.
The two and half hour drive home from Cahors is hot and long. Fortunately, we are traveling the back roads today. The speed limit on the roads is around 80 kph (50 mph). I can feel my energy dissipating, and this is starting to feel like a long day. Around 6 pm, we are approximately 30 minutes from Bazas, about 5 minutes south of Marmande, France. Then everything changes. Suddenly, it is like I am not only living the experience but simultaneously watching it develop from outside of my body. It is as if my experience is being filmed with a high-speed camera. High-speed cameras allow a person to see details of events that last only a few seconds with an incredible amount of clarity.
I would say it is surreal, but I've learned through the years this is one of my superpowers. I am blessed that when things go wrong, life slows down for me. In those moments, I am aware of many things that most people I am with miss.
Out of nowhere, I see a black Jeep Wrangler merging in front of us less than 50 m (150 ft). The Jeep is making a left-hand turn from a road that Ts into the two-lane (one lane in each direction) road we are traveling. I want to yell in frustration at the stupidity of the driver as I can see we have nowhere to go. As I process what is happening, I feel Céline applying the brakes and see her making minor adjustments to the steering wheel. I feel that she is trying to thread the needle. She turns the wheel slightly in an effort to avoid the collision while avoiding the big ditch on my right. Unfortunately, there is nothing she can do, the crash is unavoidable. Realizing I don't want to create additional panic, I remain quiet and prepare myself for impact. I spread my knees and brace them gently against the interior of the car to keep them from knocking hard against the interior of the car. I put my left hand on the dashboard and my right on the window brace, keeping my elbows bent. This should keep me from getting tossed around, and it will have to do, I say to myself.
BANG!! The left front of the car collides with the backside of the right front passenger tire of the Jeep. The right front fender of the Jeep fractures into several pieces, and watch the tiny plastic parts launch in multiple directions. Jeeps are designed to disintegrate on impact. It is a safety feature that helps absorb the impact. I feel the car being redirected to my right. I make a note that the impact was much softer than I was expecting. That's interesting, I say to myself silently. Maybe we have a chance.
After glancing off the Jeep, the car launches into the air as it jumps across the ditch. BANG! There's another blow. This time, it is the right front colliding with the ditch bank. I assess how I am feeling. I sense we'll be alright if we ride this out, there's only vegetation ahead of us. To my left, I see the Jeep finally coming to a stop just ahead of us. As the car rides along the ditch, I notice all the broken pieces of plastic and headlights on the side of the road. Fortunately, the vegetation in the ditch is tall. I feel it catching the car and slowing the momentum. We continue to climb up the ditch bank, and I sense that we'll be alright once the car stops.
But before the car comes to a complete stop, Crash! I feel the car tip onto the driver's side. As it does, I look to my left and see Céline's head hit the door frame, and the side view mirror tears off the car. It comes journey now complete, it stays in the dirt as we slide by. Finally, the car stops. Then there's another Bang! This time, the tips back onto its four wheels. All right, we are on all fours. The car is now on a 30-degree incline. Don't do anything yet until we know the car is stable, I tell Céline.
I frequently told my direct reports that I supervised when things go wrong in a vehicle, the number one rule is don't make them worse. Take a breath and assess your situation before making a move. Most people react without understanding their current situation, and when they do this is when things get worse. For example, a couple of people who worked for me when I was with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department slid off the road into an inclined ditch, similar to my current situation. They immediately tried to drive out of their situation. As soon as they turned their front wheels, they rolled the truck onto its top, making a bad situation much worse.
Now that the car is stopped, I look around the car. It looks like a bomb went off. Everything we bought a few hours ago is all over the backseat, as are my shoes and all the things I didn't stow into my pack before leaving Tour-de-Faure. To my left, Céline is rubbing her head.
Suddenly people are everywhere. I can hear shouting, but I can't decipher what is being said. Their voices sound like
Charlie Brown's teacher. However, unlike the teacher, I sense there is urgency in their voices. It is like I am in a time warp and forgot to turn off the hyperspeed camera off now that the car is stopped. It is like I am in a different world, and now I am in a fog that obscures my ability to see anything outside of the car.
Before I have a chance to ask Céline how she is or if she's seriously hurt, the car is surrounded by men trying to be heroes. I can hear banging on the car and shouting all around me. Unfortunately, they have no idea what they are doing. I remind myself they just want to help. There's a man on the downhill side of the car, next to the driver's door. He is lying on his back. I notice his leg is cocked and loaded. He says, "Look out! I am going to kick the driver's window and break the glass." I yell, "NO! STOP! You aren't going to kick the window in." There are so many reasons why this is a bad idea that I am shocked he would even propose it.
Then I hear a guy crawling on the passenger side of the car and feel the rear passenger door open. "Come on! Come on! Hurry! Hurry! I yell again. WAIT! WAIT! The car is stopped, and it is not going to blow up! Give us a minute before we move. We to determine if we are hurt.
"I hit my head, but I am fine. No major injuries" tells me Céline. Alright. I don't have any significant injuries either, just some bumps. Can you climb out? I ask. She nods and behind to climbs over the seat on top of the mess in the back seat. Then she exits out the passenger side rear door that the man is holding open. I can't find my phone. I spend a few seconds looking for it. The impatient man standing on the car closes the rear door and opens my door. "Come on," he says, and I climb out. Once out of the car, everyone except the driver disappears, and the following two hours pass slowly as we wait for the tow truck and paramedics. Passerbyes continue to stop and offer their help. It feels great to be surrounded by such helpful friendly people.
In the photo below, notice the remnants of the Jeep fender well (i.e., grey mass in the foreground). This is where we left the road. From there, the path the car took up the ditch before it rolled onto the driver's side is also visible. The car then slid a little more than one car length on the driver's side before coming to a stop and falling back onto all 4-wheels.
I've been in a few car accidents before, but never in a foreign country. It doesn't take long before I realize the process is very similar in France as in the United States. Fortunately, I was able to guide Céline through the post-accident process as this was all new to her.
The paramedics complete a full assessment of me and Céline. Fortunately, neither of us, has significant injuries. I have soreness in my back, a scrape on my right foot, a bruise on my left shin, and a bone bruise on my right elbow. Céline has a sore neck and a bump on her head. I notice I am getting more sore as time passes. The driver of the Jeep barely felt anything.
The tow truck driver tells me it will be two days before we can retrieve anything from the car at the impound. One of the paramedics offers to climb up onto the tow truck and retrieve everything from inside the wrecked car. I want to make sure we gather not only valuables but also perishables while Céline is being evaluated for neck and head injuries. Fortunately, everything checks out alright for Céline, and the paramedics release her.
Finally, when all the paperwork is done, the old man with the Jeep offers to take us to Bazas. "I'm really sorry. It was my fault. I didn't see you at all before I turned. The least I can do is take you home since I live about 10 minutes away from Bazas. My Jeep is still driveable," he says. he is very cordial and insists that all the paperwork shows that he was at fault.
It takes us about 30 minutes to get to Bazas. I feel as though I am in a fog. I am completely worn out and in no mood to chat with the driver. I say little as I have to during the drive to Bazas. Even though I am worn out, I am alert enough to notice that the old man has some severe damage to his Jeep. It may still be operable, but the right front wheel is not correct, and the driveability has been compromised.
At last, we arrive in Bazas around 930 pm. After unloading everything and watching the Jeep drive away, I set everything down. I give Céline a hug and begin to cry. I am consumed by grief and finally allow myself to sink into the fragility of the moment we just traversed.
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