I had been studying for a couple of hours when I realized that it was just about time for the basketball game to be over. Since Curtis hadn't called yet I decided to drive the short distance to the high school and give the kids a ride home. As I got into our van and pulled out of the driveway, I still had no sense that anything was out of the ordinary. I wondered later how it was possible that such a life-changing event could happen without me somehow sensing it. Even as I passed the scene of the accident on my way to the school, no alarms went off in my head. I came upon the accident at the intersection less than five minutes from our house. As I slowed to go through the intersection I thought,"Oh man. This must have been a really bad accident. How is it possible that we didn't hear any sirens or anything?"There were still several emergency vehicles present as well as the cars that had been involved in the collision. They had obviously sustained a great deal of damage and were resting on opposite sides of the street. One of them was partially hidden by a tow truck. I could also see an emergency worker folding up a tarp-the kind they use to cover the bodies of victims at accident scenes. Still, it never occurred to me that my son and his friends could possibly have been involved. I don't think my mind wanted to even consider that possibility. I mumbled a quick prayer for those who were involved and continued on my way to the school where my son and his friends were enjoying the basketball game. Weren't they?