7. Tranced

Was about 17 and learning to drive. Mom and I had just been to the grocery and running a few errands. It was almost dark out and we were heading home. Was first in line at a left-turn stoplight in a large intersection. The turn arrow light turned green, and I just sat there. It was a very odd sensation… I knew the light was green and needed to pull through, but couldn’t. It was like all motivation to move was gone… almost like when you’re staring off into space, but I was fully conscious that the light had changed and turning was what I was supposed to be doing. Mom didn’t say a word either, just stared at the light. About 5 seconds later, a full size Suburban came barreling through the red light. The speed limit on the road was 45, but he had to have been doing 65-75. The car shook hard when he passed us. After he ran the light, I turned like normal and mom and I both kind of “woke up.”

Afterward, we both described the same feeling coming over us at the light. If we hadn’t both been tranced-out or what have you, the Suburban would have struck us broadside. A Suburban vs a Saturn at 60-70 mph wouldn’t have been pretty. Mom would have probably been killed on impact, and I highly doubt I would have survived as well.

We still talk about it every now and then. Just a weird experience.