Spaghetti Junction

We spent Monday night at the Emory Conference Center so we could be at the clinic for Jimmy's 8:30 appointment - WAY early for us.  His initial blood work looked a little off this time:  WBC and platelets low and glucose level unusually high, and the total protein had jumped up. Dr. Lonial didn't seem too concerned and attributed it to the doubling of his chemo last month.  We won't get the important numbers until next week.

On our way back to Highlands, as we drove through Spaghetti Junction on I-85, I smiled at a recollection that recurs every time we go through there.  On September 11, 2001 (!!!)  Mama and her friend Tot Amon and Jeanne and Wilbur Rountree were in Tot's white Chevy Impala, en route to Highlands where they were going to stay at his daughter's house. Mama and Tot and Jeanne were probably in their mid-eighties and Wilbur had to have been ninety at the time.

Somewhere around Spaghetti Junction, they ran over one of those big orange cones and it got stuck under the car.  They managed to get over onto the shoulder, and all got out of the car to survey the problem.  Fortunately, a good Samaritan stopped and dislodged the cone and they continued on their way, oblivious to the tragedy that was unfolding in New York that day, as well as one they'd  narrowly missed themselves.

 It was such a dangerous situation, but I still get tickled at the mental image I have of those four, huddled up by the busy road, peering under the Impala and debating who was going to crawl under it and pull that cone out.