i finally went back

About 2 months ago Kai and I had a very traumatic experience at the Hutt River walk, which was always one of my favorite places to take the dogs. They have so much room to run there and people are always friendly and non-judgemental toward over-excited, barking dogs (i.e. our dogs). But in a matter of moments on a beautiful autumn day, it became tainted.

The following is taken from an email I wrote when I got home that day...

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From: Christina
To: Lisa
Subject: i was very fortunate today
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 09:36:23 +0000

This afternoon we took a walk along the Hutt River. Never been a problem. Everything was fine until I got distracted talking to the girls (who arrived from the States this morning) and we had stopped walking. Meaning the dogs got bored. I looked up and saw them side-by-side at the top of the hill right next to the 6-lane motorway. (We had gone further than I normally do. Where I usually walk there is a barrier of trees and bushes at the top. Plus a guard rail. So I hadn't even thought about it being wide open up there.) I shouted "FOOD" and "TREAT" (our emergency recall commands) and Berkley bolted down the hill. However, the white of Kai's tail vanished. I ran up the muddy hill as quickly as possible. When I got to the top, Kai had just reached the other side of the road. I don't know how she did it. She just started walking on the footpath along the guard rail which was exactly her height to fit under. Traffic on my side was flying past but fortunately there was a red light at Melling Link so there was no traffic on her side. There were about five or six cars coming on my side though. Probably over 100km/hr. All lanes and staggerd. I nearly jumped out but I would have been dead. Unfortunately she saw me and as I shouted, "WAIT," I could see that she was gonna run. She bolted across the motorway toward me. I was screaming and hyperventilating. It was so unbelievably awful. I was so helpless. Somehow she managed to dodge two cars going full speed in the far lanes. But this white sedan was in the lane right next to me, and I knew the timing was just awful. I saw it flash in front of my eyes a million times in that split second. But I think he saw me flailing around because he couldn't have seen her. He swerved right in front of me so very slightly but just enough to miss her. I can't imagine a nearer miss. And it would have happened just three feet from me if he hadn't jerked the wheel. I can't get it out of my head. It would have been all my fault. I would have killed our dog. In one split second. How would I have told Jeremy?

***

It has taken me this long to take them back there. My heart was beating pretty fast the whole time. I stayed on the river side and avoided the motorway side of the walk, but still it was scary.

Moral: life-changing things happen in an instant so look after yourself and your loved ones.