Velvet Fog
~E~
Last weekend the fog round these parts was thicker'n my mama's clam chowder. Witness the 100 car pile-up just outside the city that claimed two lives and countless automobiles. People who were caught up in it said they couldn't see anything but for minutes on end they could hear tires screeching and cars slamming into each other. One couldn't see the flashing red lights of the many rescue vehicles from 100 feet away.
The day after this incident, the drive to work was ok. It was foggy but it was tolerable. Going home that night was another story. Throughout the day the fog got thicker and thicker, and looking out the window into the courtyard made us feel like we were in a fantasy novel, trapped in a wizard's world cut off from the rest of humanity. By five o'clock it was bad.
I had no desire to drive home, but sleeping at work wasn't an option. I reluctantly left, walking down to my car in the parking ramp. Which was FOGGY. Our huge underground parking ramp was foggy! I followed another car to the highway, but that car disappeared quickly into the wall of mist. I drove 40 mph in a 65 mph zone, wondering if some idiot would come flying up behind me and rear-end me. It was terrifying also wondering if I would come upon someone else driving 20 mph and I would hit them. I couldn't tell where I was - every now and then a sign would pop out of the fog and disappear again almost immediately.
I tried not to hold my breath. I tried to just concentrate on being careful, watching the odometer to have some idea of when I could expect civilization. And hallelujah, civilization appeared right when it was supposed to! (have you ever seen Stephen King's "The Langoliers"?) The next main highway I took was fine, the traffic was moving right along and it was clear but the minute I left that road the fog closed in again. The trees next to the road were visible but where there should have been a lake was nothing.
Home finally did welcome me from the mists and damn was I happy.
Last weekend the fog round these parts was thicker'n my mama's clam chowder. Witness the 100 car pile-up just outside the city that claimed two lives and countless automobiles. People who were caught up in it said they couldn't see anything but for minutes on end they could hear tires screeching and cars slamming into each other. One couldn't see the flashing red lights of the many rescue vehicles from 100 feet away.
The day after this incident, the drive to work was ok. It was foggy but it was tolerable. Going home that night was another story. Throughout the day the fog got thicker and thicker, and looking out the window into the courtyard made us feel like we were in a fantasy novel, trapped in a wizard's world cut off from the rest of humanity. By five o'clock it was bad.
I had no desire to drive home, but sleeping at work wasn't an option. I reluctantly left, walking down to my car in the parking ramp. Which was FOGGY. Our huge underground parking ramp was foggy! I followed another car to the highway, but that car disappeared quickly into the wall of mist. I drove 40 mph in a 65 mph zone, wondering if some idiot would come flying up behind me and rear-end me. It was terrifying also wondering if I would come upon someone else driving 20 mph and I would hit them. I couldn't tell where I was - every now and then a sign would pop out of the fog and disappear again almost immediately.
I tried not to hold my breath. I tried to just concentrate on being careful, watching the odometer to have some idea of when I could expect civilization. And hallelujah, civilization appeared right when it was supposed to! (have you ever seen Stephen King's "The Langoliers"?) The next main highway I took was fine, the traffic was moving right along and it was clear but the minute I left that road the fog closed in again. The trees next to the road were visible but where there should have been a lake was nothing.
Home finally did welcome me from the mists and damn was I happy.
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