Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 12:54:15 -0400
From: Ava M. Sanel
To: New England Area Race List, US Marshalls Mailing List
Subject: [usm] bad kharma, et al
Barry and I arrived at the track at about 1:30 PM on Saturday. I had
decided on Thursday that I didn't want to make the trip Friday night,
because we usually end up arriving VERY late (after midnight). I just
didn't feel like arriving dead tired only to still face having to put up a
tent and get settled in. We have done this dozens of times, but this time
was somehow different. I can't explain it.
We brought along a friend of ours, Jay, who had shown some interest in the
races and cornerworking a couple of weeks earlier. After arriving, Barry
& Jay went right out to cornerwork for the afternoon. I told Barry that I
didn't feel like working that afternoon. Another first. In the four
years that I have been cornerworking, I have never opted out if I was
physically there. This time was somehow different. I can't explain it.
I decided shortly thereafter to take a trip to Walmart. I wanted to pick
up a pair of shorts and some extra earplugs, because we were running out.
I didn't need the shorts that day or that weekend, and we had planned to
stop at Walmart Saturday night to get the earplugs. Something just made
me feel like I wanted to go just then. I can't explain it.
When I was done shopping, and just heading out on my way back, Barry
called me and told me turn around and go straight to Concord Hospital
because Rob had been hit and was on his way there. He told me that Rob
was conscious & OK (so I wouldn't panic, and I didn't). I got to the
hospital and decided that I must had beaten the ambulance there because
Rob was not there yet. I waited awhile and got another call from Barry to
tell me that he had been mistaken. Rob was taken to Lakes Region Hospital
in Laconia and I should go there instead. Neither he nor I was quite sure
how to get there, so I just started driving north on 93 and looked for
Route 3. I found an exit to route 3, but it was the wrong one. Barry had
said that the hospital was about 15 miles north of Concord. The exit I
took was one mile from Penecook which I KNOW is not 15 miles from Concord,
but I took it anyway. I can't explain it.
I was almost to Laconia (the long way around) when I got another call
from Barry. Rob had been airlifted to Dartmouth Hospital which was about
an hour away. He told me I should just come back to the track and we
would all go up there at the end of the day. I knew that Kit was with Ann
& Rob and that made me feel better. I was still calm.
I came back and started packing up Ann & Rob's stuff so that we could
bring it to them later. The races were still going on so I was all along
and trying not to think. When the races were over, many people came by to
ask if they could help me, the first of which was Dick Jalbert. Dick & I
started talking and then it hit me...Rob may have been worse off than I
had been lead to believe up until that point. I hadn't seen the incident,
I hadn't seen the aftermath...even the fact that he was airlifted
someplace didn't quite sink in until just then. Dick gave me a big hug
and I tearfully had told him that I didn't want to cornerwork anymore.
It's just f'ing CRAZY!!! What are we doing??? Dick, of all people, told
me that I really needed to think about that before I made such a rash
decision. I told him that I would and the following morning I was dressed
& ready to go, but still a little apprehensive. Sandy kindly stuck me in
turn 5 with a bunch of flags and zero reason to enter the race track all
day. I was relieved.
Rob is a dear friend of mine and there is a point to this story. If I had
seen the incident, or Rob that day, I can tell you that under no
conditions would I ever have cornerworked again. Maybe the others are
made of stronger stuff, but I know me. All of the "coincidences" that I
have mentioned, and the fact that I drove around for two hours for no
reason actually served a purpose. They saved me from making the wrong
decision. I love the races and I love cornerworking and it would be a
shame if missed out on it.
I think I'll stay in a flag station for the rest of the season, but I will
be there.
Thanks to everyone who helped out and sent good wishes. Rob will be in
the hospital at least one more day but is getting better every minute.
Keep him in your thoughts......
Ava