Nearly Died at Walmart Last Night

[28HopUp]

Every year, our Masonic Lodge volunteers to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. We divide the hours among ourselves in 2-hour blocks. Last night I ended up manning the kettle alone in the open, covered area at the entrance of a Walmart. Although last week a Salvation Army volunteer near Philly was knocked over and their kettle was stolen, that's not what almost happened to me last night.

While jingling all the way, I saw a woman waiting with a loaded cart for her female friend to drive up so they could load the car in the fire lane. Suddenly I see this fast-moving Sebring convertible headed at both of us. At the last second, the car swerves; missing the woman, me, the kettle, and the brick column at the entrance to the store. The driver was this woman's friend, and she was able to stop the car farther along in the fire lane. The driver gets out all upset, saying that the car wouldn't stop, and she asks me to look under the dash at the pedals. Reluctant to leave the kettle unmanned, she offered the ring the bell, while I quickly checked underneath.

It turns out the floor mat was jammed up under the brake pedal, and the mat's edging was torn off and looped around the gas pedal! I got the mat free and tossed it in the back seat to send them on their way.

How many times do we see on the news where an older driver crashes through a store-front? (my Mom actually has done this). They usually claim mechanical failure; not the fault of the driver. Well, I survived to tell the story that a floor mat nearly caused an accident last night.

HoHoHo!