…’Twas but a trick o’ the light…
Shakespeare? That ever-present Artificially Intelligent AI had nothing useful to say about the origins of this saying so I hereby claim it as my own.
It was the brilliant sunshine that blinded the driver, as he admitted. The accident happened where Bassetsbury Lane meets London Road. Remember we drive on the left in little old England, so I reckon he was dashing to cross the other lane, then dazzled by the low winter sun. 
I was returning from two errands: to pick up some pills from the Pharmacy, and get some ice cream from Lidl, a 4-mile round trip, but that was the point. Our local Lidl is 3-minutes walk and my previous pharmacy a minute further—but I was unhappy with their service.
Anyhow, that’s how I happened to cross the junction with Bassetsbury Lane on the way back. I saw him before he saw me and yelled “Hey!” at the top of my voice. He must have instinctively braked, and brought his car to a rapid halt.
— though not before knocking my precious Topro walker enough to jam it under the front bumper. I thought he’d damaged it, as something flew off down the road. It turned out to be my phone. There were three or more witnesses, and one ran to get it, suggesting it might be ruined or the batteries inactivated, I unslept* the phone: it was on and totally unharmed, without a scratch on its leather case. The driver of course got straight out, and said sorry several times. After an interval his wife got out from a back seat. She seemed angry at him rather than bothered about me.
Passers-by were being more helpful than I needed. One offered to drive me home straight away, and in general I was expected to be in shock. I felt nothing but relief and went up to the driver to tell him it was OK. He must have felt awful of course, so I shook his hand and said “Thank you”, explaining that he’d demonstrated to me once again how I’m daily looked after, by … —I didn’t want to say God, perhaps my guardian angel.
When I got home and told Karleen, she expected me to be in shock, but I was exhilarated to be still in one piece. Later in the day, I felt strange, as if my life were a let-down, a tedious same-as-yesterday feeling. Delayed shock, I think. As elderly retirees, we are framed by routines and rituals, with visits from friends and family a pleasant exception. I’m glad to write a fresh blog post for a change. Thank you, readers from many lands. You make it all worth while.
*is unslept a transitive verb? It is now.
a wayfarer’s notes 