Angel in the Night

The blackness of the night engulfs me as I sit upright staring ahead and hoping the road will not disappear on me.  I am driving in a 110km per hour stretch with just a slice of the moon to keep me company.  It provides no light to guide me. 

I was not only one hour late in dropping Merv off to his respite centre at 3pm. I then lost another hour when the freeway was closed due to a local scrub fire.  I rang Dustin to help me but in the end I just followed the cars in front and hoped for the best.  I was relieved when I ended up past the fire and only a few kms from the nearest entrance back onto the freeway.  The shadows were already long and the sun fearfully low in the sky.  I rang the carer’s retreat organiser telling her of my predicament.  She suggested I take my time; which I did.

The freeway was far behind and I had my foot on the accelerator for over two hours at 110kmph.  The dual carriageway was dotted with a few cars and trucks. My CD blasted my favourite 70's music. Slowly the twilight disappeared and the cloak of darkness enveloped me.

I slowed at the many bends and sign posts.  I was doing well until I came to the Busselton turn off.  The road narrowed to one lane each way with overtaking lanes every so many kms.  Confident drivers whizzed by me but I had no plan to follow.  I had expected to arrive long before dark.

Then an angel appeared.  Not the white robe and wings style of angel but a big chunky truck with the huge red reflectors on its back doors at eye level. My God send was chugging along between 80-90kmph.  I happily chugged behind allowing those big red eyes to guide me around the corners and bends.  It was a relief to finally reach my destination without incident.

Some of my friends who had arrived hours earlier later told me they were praying for my safe arrival!

My trauma was soon replaced with fun, relaxing, strolls along the beach, good food and sunset parties and  plenty of sharing.  It was worth the trauma of the darkness of the night.