Emotional rollercoaster

5 January 2014

Yesterday for the first time in three months I was alone at my home. I could finally relax, without consideration of anybody else. I lied down for a couple of hours with a beverage... then I unpacked a big new monitor, and then...

Some insurance agent called me and told me the shuttle van my mother and brother had taken to the airport had crashed, and my mother was injured. He had no idea if she was in critical condition or just her nose was bleering or something in between. Actually he expected I'd tell him, because my name was on the reservation and he thought I'd travelled as well. On my quest to find out what her condition is, I first called the shuttle company (SuperShuttle), but they didn't even know of the accident. Then I called the California Highway Patrol (the road police), and they told me what hospital they're in. After two calls, each with two forwards to other departments, I finally got to speak to my brother.

She was not badly injured, had some wounds near the mouth and a swelling further up, and my brother was unscathed. Because her wounds required complicated stitching, and they scanned her comprehensively for other issues, they stayed at the hospital until three in the morning. At that time they couldn't reasonably come back to my place so they rode directly to the airport.

Before I spoke to my brother, I was — needles to say — extremely strained, then I calmed down gradually, and started thinking about things of lesser importance, such as what they should do now that they've missed their flight. Eventually I parted with them for the second time today, after they were rebooked free of charge, thanks to some sympathy by Lufthansa and some other circumstances. I pity them — they have hardly slept tonight, and mum cannot eat normally... at least they'll be home soon...

After the second attempt at saying goodbye, I made a second attempt at relaxing, spending several hours with the Live After Death DVD and the new monitor. (If the first thing that's played on the monitor is something other than an Iron Maiden DVD, the warranty is void!) In addition to the concert proper, I watched the documentary, part two of the history of Iron Maiden. The documentaries on Iron Maiden are always very motivating and make me contemplate my own ways... Despite having seen them several times each, I still prefer them to the huge piles of shit that are usually flowing out the TV or in cinemas.

Up the Irons!