Seat belts are not safety belts.

Disclaimer : Names, places and story line has been changed or omitted to protect the owners.

It was early in the morning. I usually drove myself. I hate to be the passenger. But on that faithful early morning, I was the passenger.

We just finished our meeting and discussion. On my way back home, I decided to hitch a ride with one of my colleague. This is something I seldom do....

We do not talked that much, as we have done so much talking and discussing in the office. We were listening to the slow rock music from the radio. I could not remember the channel. Hot FM was it?

Then I remembered we approached a four junction traffic light. The light was green. My colleague slowed down as we entered the junction. That was all I remembered.

The next thing I remembered I was in the emergency hall of a hospital. My colleague's head was bandaged and bloody. He was conscious, I recalled. Me, I was still in one piece, with slight injuries to my leg. My ugly face still intact.

For the first few hours, my mind was blank. I felt helpless, I cant recall what happened that early morning. I was so frustrated, I cant even remember what year it was. All was just one blank and void feeling.

It seems I lost my short term memory. When my other colleague and family arrived I can recognised them. However, I cant recall what happened.

Gradually after staying nearly two days in the hospital, I can recall what happened up to the traffic light, after that one void and blank feeling, then it resume in the emergency room of the hospital.

Until today I cant recall what happened during that void and blank moment. I was told, we were in an automobile accident. Apparently, the other vehicle hit us from the driver's side. Most probably the driver was drunk or damn sleepy! It took him 2 days to do his police report......

As for my colleague, thank Allah it was not worse. He got more than 20 stitches to his head. A smashed jaw, which need a 4 hour operation. And a fractured leg. He too cant remember of the actual accident.

If I understand correctly, the doctor told us, it is common for accident victims to loose their short term memories when they are not aware of the impending accident. Accident victim who saw or notice the impending accident, will be able to remember the incident. Due to the unforeseen trauma, accident victim like me, might never recall the actual accident at all.

So now I am still recuperating. From this incident I learn, that air bags do keep you from heavily injured in a normal accident. But seat belts (not safety belts!) makes your body sore and full of bruises. My stomach, back and shoulders are still full of bruises, very sore and soft......

My advice to all that is in any vehicle on the road, to be aware at all time. You can never know, when it is your time to be involve in an accident. Take care you all.

Hehehe.... for me, taking a flower bath is just a figure of speech.