On June 15th, 2004 I returned to Chicago from a nine and a half month trip in Europe. I planned to move to
Los Angeles therefore I needed a car. I began my search the next day, utilizing every resource: websites,
newspapers, magazines etc. After a month of searching I stumbled upon a white ’99 Nissan Maxima
SE, my ideal car. I had wanted one since I was 15 years old, when I drove my mom’s Maxima
during one of my first driving experiences. Turned out the car, being five years old only
had twenty-six thousand miles.

It was a decisive find, being that I intended to drive out to LA in less than two
weeks. I was especially thrilled that the completion of my search coincided
with my 21st birthday. I drove my car home and washed it, filled with
a sense of pride with my first car.

Twelve days after finding my new car, on July 29th, 2004, I
began the almost 2500 mile drive with my older brother
Aaron. My parents followed in their car with more
of my belongings.

The day

started with

excitment as I rolled

out of bed, and went through

some last minute preparations. We

packed the car and I said my good-byes.

Backing out of the driveway I was filled with

a sense of anxiousness with my journey ahead.

We followed along the historic Route 66, the

same path Aaron and I had driven when he moved

out to LA two years prior. We drove through Illinois, and

into Missouri. We stopped in St. Louis to view the historic

Gateway Arch. At this point Aaron offered to drive so I

took the passenger seat and flipped though the magazines we

had brought. After taking a snooze, I woke up to find that it was

getting dark and that storm clouds were approaching from

the horizon. It began

to drizzle and we had

decided to stop a few

miles down the road

for the night.

Two exits before our destination, on a bend to the

left we fish taileded,

and began hydroplaning. We hopelessly drifted

across two lanes, and

into a highway sign which spun us an additional 180 degrees into a ditch. The car being perpendicular to the

highway enabled us to be spectators as my parents inadvertently drove past, unaware of the situation.

Miraculously, Aaron and I were uninjured. He needed a few stitches near the bridge of his nose,

a result of broken glass. The car was totaled however I tried to convince myself that it could

be repaired. The overwhelming scent of gasoline filled the moist evening air as we climbed

out of the car and stepped into puddles in the tall grass. Three tires flat, windows shattered

and my belongings strewn across the path of destruction the car had involuntarily taken.

I couldn't believe I was able to walk away unscathed. I was truly thankful that

Aaron and I had not induced the worst of miseries for my parents that evening.

HYDRO