| e inline skates, I can’t deny it. It | | | | from. After that everything seemed to go wrong |
| wasn’t always like that though. A couple | | | | like there was some kind of spell on us. |
| of years back I thought of inline skates or | | | | The car, a brand new Buick, suddenly stopped; still |
| rollerblades that it was only something for kids, | | | | not a house in sight for as long as the eye could |
| and certainly not for a grown man like me. | | | | see. My wife was still not feeling well, and I asked |
| It was in the summer. I and my 7 month | | | | the boys to sit in the front, and make room for |
| pregnant wife and our two sons were on a trip to | | | | my wife on the backseat. I tried to locate the |
| California. We wanted to have a few days | | | | problem under the hood, with no luck. And to |
| vacation before the baby was born. Because | | | | complete our situation, the cell phone could not |
| after that, it would take a while before we could | | | | get contact to any mobile network. It looked bad; |
| go on a trip again. | | | | really bad, and I got scared. |
| Since it was sunny California, and since my two | | | | I knew there was around 12 miles to the nearest |
| sons insisted on going rollerblading on the beach, I | | | | town and I needed to get there fast. Luckily mine |
| rented a pair of inline skates my self. Simply | | | | and the boys’ inline skates where lying in |
| because I did not want them to be on their own | | | | the trunk. I made a fast decision; the fastest way |
| rollerblading – they were only 8 and 10 | | | | of getting help was on wheels. |
| years of age at the time. I can’t say that | | | | I put aside all safety tips regarding downhill skating |
| I was good at it, but my sons were fairly good | | | | and pushed my muscles to the limit and beyond |
| teachers, and I got the hang of it, and was able | | | | that. I left my family out there. Can you imagine |
| to go straight forward without hitting the dirt too | | | | being forced to do that? It took me less than 1 |
| often. | | | | hour to reach the next town and get some help. |
| The day before we should travel home again to | | | | It was fast, but was it fast enough? |
| Ohio, we took our rented car for a 2 hour trip | | | | The paramedics got my wife to the nearest |
| away from the cost and further into the country. | | | | hospital with the horn on. The baby came two |
| My wife did not feel well in the morning before | | | | month early and she and my wife was |
| we took off, but she said she was okay, and that | | | | transported to a bigger hospital with premature |
| we should all go. The day after we would travel | | | | equipment. They told us that it was a close call |
| home, and she would see our doctor then. | | | | for the little baby girl, and that she almost did not |
| Looking back it was naive to ignore these | | | | make. If I had not gotten help as fast as I did, |
| symptoms from my pregnant wife. But we went | | | | she would probably have died. |
| on our way. And of course, out there, in the | | | | I can truly say that a pair of rented inline skates |
| middle of no where, not a house in sight as far as | | | | saved my daughters life. And for that I am |
| the eye could see; my wife suddenly feels sick, I | | | | forever grateful. |
| could tell that she was in pain. I turned the car | | | | Thank you for your time. |
| around, and headed back to where we came | | | | |