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From: egly@hplred.HP.COM (Diana Egly)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: A prayer
Message-ID: <20940028@hplred.HP.COM>
Date: 16 Jan 90 17:49:19 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 30

Last night when on my way to a friend's house to celebrate his birthday,
I saw an ambulance, sirens blaring, trying to get around cars.  Whenever
I see an ambulance I start asking that the other drivers get out of the way,
that the ambulance get where its going promptly and safely, that the
paramedics be able to help.  If I were Catholic I would cross myself, but
I'm not.  So I just talk to God.

Because of the ambulance I was stuck in traffic, and so I saw that the
injured party was (evidentally) a pedestrian.  I saw that the police
talking to the engineer of the train that was stopped at the intersection.
The intersection where my sister was killed in a pedestrian-train accident.
Then I saw the coroner's car arrive and I saw the ambulance leave, empty.

So many times have I sat at that intersection and watched the trains go by
and saw, in my mind's eye, her accident.  It helps.  In the moments of her
death people that I will never meet were affected.  I can see it in the
police reports.  I can see it in the coroner's investigation.

Just as people were affected by the accident last night.
Not just me. 

And so I pray for the engineer.
I pray for any other witnesses that there may be.
I pray for the family and loved ones of the victim.
And particularly for the one who makes the trip to the coroner's office.

Perhaps some of the rest of you will be moved to pray with me.
Or whatever ritual brings you close to your diety.

No toast.  No crashing of glass.  Just a prayer.