Every once in a while, I look back on specific events in my life and laugh. One vivid event involved the time I spent with my best friend, Ahmed, and all the physical and emotional damage we caused. When reflecting back, I wonder how we managed to escape alive – how we did not die from such a tragic event.
Have you ever sat down and had a “dare-devil” conversation with a male teen between the ages of 14-17? I should have been locked away during that period of my life for surely I swear I was temporarily insane. At that time, I had no concept of "consequences." I did whatever and whenever. Unfortunately this little package of immaturity also came with misleading thoughts such as a sense of invincibility, a total disregard for authority, and taking pretty much everything in my life for granted. These thoughts were unfortunate. Why? Because this particular event caused me to learn some of life lessons the hard way, and in one horrible night at age sixteen and a half, one frightening lesson was learned.
As mentioned, Ahmed and I were best friends, though we have been a little out of touch now. I guess we connected so well back then because we were both rebelling against the environment we were growing up in that it made us so much alike. What’s strange about growing up in a small town is that it encourages a sense of self-value, independence, and creativity which can be lost in large cities. I mean, if you're not doing something creative in our town, what else would you be doing? So, Ahmed and I developed a very similar sense of humor. In fact, it was a dry sense of humor that I assume no one else really appreciated because we didn't have all that many friends. Although we entered middle school with hopes of new experiences and meeting new interesting people.
Finally the day came that every 16 year old dreams about – getting a driver’s license. We
were both a little older than most students in our graduating class. Nonetheless, this is an event in my life that I replay in my head most frequently. It was a cool summer night. I was hanging out with Ahmed and we drove through a well hidden, off-the-road trail and finally arrived.
It was everything we had hoped for. Two lanes of perfectly straight asphalt that stretched about a mile and a half. So what else are two immature guys to do? Race! Experience the thrill of speed. So Ahmed and I buckled our safety belts. Ahmed started counting with his fingers as he slowly signaled one-two-three. I felt exited and stomped on the gas. I heard my four exhaust pipes roar loudly. Then the tires screeched in compliance as our car jumped forward and took off, leaving a cloud of smoke behind while Ahmed yelled with joy. I remember seeing complete blackness and then branches.
What I came to find out was a large dead tree. I cut the wheel hard, not knowing where we were about to go next. I hit the brakes, but got no response. It was too late. I was suddenly lifted out of my seat. I felt the seatbelt tighten. It felt like someone standing on my chest as the seatbelt dug in, pressing hard against my heart. And then everything went black.
Minutes after the crash, and from what I could see, there was bleeding from my ear and either my mouth, nose, or both. I couldn't tell. I looked towards Ahmed. His eyes were closed. His seat, twisted towards me pinning his leg under the dash board, and he was bleeding a lot. Worse than I was. I grabbed his shoulder and tried saying his name. I sounded horrible and frighten.
I looked towards the windshield. We had driven through a wire fence which came apart and cut through the top of the windshield and most of my car.
I began to sweat a terror amount of sweat. Sweat from the kind of heat that you can feel come over you, like when your brain realizes you’re about to be in deep shit, then cues your body to react accordingly. But it wasn't the trouble I would get in that was worrying me. It was Ahmed’s
screams and the sound of footsteps from outside. But I was in too much shock to reply.
How could this happen to Ahmed the kid I grew up with? This is the kid I went to my first concert with. The kid who would never ditch me for cooler friends or talk about me behind my back, or do anything to harm me. Is this real? Is he really gone and this is totally my fault. It all seemed so unbelievable.
I yelled Ahmed’s name feeling relieved and sadness at the same time. I looked at him as he was clutching his chest from a deep cut caused by the seat belt. I was almost too ashamed to look directly at him with his face covered in blood. He looked at me and said “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have egged you on. I’m sorry.” I responded by saying, “I shouldn’t have taken you down here. This was a stupid idea, and I’m an idiot. I‘m just so glad you aren‘t dead.” I couldn’t believe this; I screwed up, almost killing one of my best friends and here he was trying to give excuses for my mistake.
Needless to say, the car was totaled. We drove through a fence, hit a tree and then a mound of dirt which tossed the car on its side. The backseat had collapsed; everything in the trunk was now in the front of the car. Most of it hitting Ahmed as items scattered through the air and then came down on him. We sat there quietly in shock from all the life lessons we had just learned in about five seconds.
You could almost feel the childhood slip away. It was then that I realized how lucky I was to have such a great friend, and how precious life really is, as well how it can be changed permanently, so quickly. I will think about this night every once in a while. It reminds me of how happy I should be to still be alive – life’s gift and life’s lesson that will never be forgotten.
