Three Points of View

Number One

I was driving down Taylor St. on my way to pick up my wife at the beauty salon. We had been invited to a dinner party by my boss on short notice but my wife insisted on keeping her appointment even if it did mean driving out of my way and probably making us late for dinner. "Your boss will understand" she had said and anyway I didn’t feel like arguing with her. My hands were placed in the ten-two positions on the steering wheel and the radio was echoing melodies from the days of my youth. It was the songs which commanded the better part of my attention as I drove, not the road. The Mark IV seemed to drive itself almost and the effortlessness of it allowed me to exist in the past for awhile as I cruised down the boulevard.

I guess I was looking right at him before it happened but it wasn’t until I heard the thump that I realized where I was and slammed the car to a halt. I looked back and saw a young boy lying on the street on the opposite side of the intersection I was now on. My heart nearly jumped out of my throat. I had hit him. Already people were coming to his aid. I longed for a drink.

Number Two

I was bouncing my basketball with my left hand as I ran down the sidewalk heading for home. The coach had said I had to be able to dribble with either hand if I were to be a good player. Tommy and I had been practising at his house after school. We both were on the team and had hopes of leading it to the city championship this year. Bounce, bounce, bounce went the ball as I raced along to the corner. It would be getting dark soon and dad should be home so I was in a hurry not to be late for supper. I knew a star had to eat regularly as well as practise.

At the corner I stopped dribbling and held my ball as I began to cross the street. I saw this big, blue car coming but, since he had a stop sign here, I started across. About halfway to the other side I looked back in the direction of the car; he wasn’t stopping. I remember seeing his face just then. It was like he wasn’t even in a car but lying on a beach, or in a bed or something; his eyes were wide and stary and so peacefull looking. I don’t know why he didn’t see me or stop or something but on he came. There was no time to get out of his way entirely but I jumped as far as I could and felt his bumper hit my leg. After I landed on the street I remember seeing my basketball bouncing away and then I passed out.

Number Three

I was standing near the corner patiently passing time as I awaited the arrival of the downtown bus. This was the night of the concert I had been looking forward to for the past three weeks. I had to stand in line for two hours to get the tickets but I knew it would be worth it. My car had developed starter trouble this morning so I had to rely on the city for transportation. No time to get it fixed after work and still make the concert. I lit up a joint for I knew I had ten minutes until the bus came and I just had to be high when I went in the Stadium. Everyone will be high to see the Moody Blues.

Across the street I saw a boy dribbling a basketball and racing at terrific speed, presumably with an invisible opponent. I remembered when I used to play backetball for Franklin Junior High and wondered if that’s where he was from. Looking down Taylor Street for a glimpse of the bus that had to cross over it once before it headed in my direction, I caught sight of a magnificent looking 1976 Mark IV. "Whew", I thought. "There’s a man with money to burn." I gazed at the car as it approached and focused on the fancy antenna that stood erect from the right side near the windshield. I wondered if he had quadrophonic in it. He surely should have.

I don’t know how long it had been but I realized that I no longer heard the bouncing of the basketball. I looked across the corner then and saw the boy walking across the street with the ball in his arms. Then I saw the Mark IV hit him and immediately afterwards heard the screeching of tires on the pavement. The boy was on the street, the basketball was bouncing towards me and the car was stopped about twenty yards away. I threw down my joint and ran into the street to help.