Joseph

The event that followed had scarred me for life. This happened a few weeks ago from

today as I was driving home from ROP, on the main street to my house. I was driving, overjoyed

from making so much progress in my ROP class, which was located at Ontario Airport. I had left

the class with a smirk on my face. I walked down the old, rugged airport and stepped into my car

and left the premises. Driving home, I blasted my music in my car, listening to as many songs as

possible, singing my heart out, not caring who sees. I exited the congest freeway and headed

down Foothill, passing by the variety of stores. I slowly turned on my main street, and my car

quickly accelerated on the street. I passed by many of the people I knew, shyly waving to them

as I passed by. That was when I suddenly heard a loud thump, and I quickly used my reflexes

and slammed my feet onto the brakes of my car. My mind was racing, and all I could think about

was “What did I hit!” My eyes were wide open and I opened my door and looked behind me

onto the desolate street. I had hit a small brown dog. I stepped out of the car, and saw that two

small girls were standing there with eyes, flooded with tears and sorrow. My heart dropped to the

floor, because I know how it feels to lose something that means so much to you. I sluggishly

walked over to the family of the deceased dog, approaching them with a face that showed so

much fear that they knew how I felt at that moment. I apologized greatly, but they would not let

me take the blame as they said it was completely their fault for letting the dog out. They

explained to me that he was not trained to be outside by himself, and has a tendency to run away.

I insisted on taking the blame, but I was beat and they told me to get home safe. I did the right

thing, and that was to stop and apologize. Even though it was not my fault, I had this horrible

sensation building up inside me. I walked back to my car and slowly drove away. I pulled into

my small street and stopped in my usual parking spot. I held in the tears that wanted to slip out. I

called the only person that I could talk to and that was my close friend Moranda. I pressed the

send button and listened to the ringer several times until a familiar voice had answered. I tried to

speak when a hello was given. That was when I just fell into pieces. Tears rushed down my face,

and sobs were heard on both ends of the line. I cried, and cried, and cried, because I know the

same feeling of losing a dog that you loved so much. I cried as I did the night my dog had died.

Moranda told me everything was ok and that it was not your fault, but the image of the two girls

screaming for their dog had burned into my brain and I can still, vividly picture the event in my

head, even right now. It had opened my eyes on how the life of anything can end in a heartbeat. I

feel like I should appreciate the people around me because at any given time, their lives can end

and I might never even get to say goodbye. I never want to have an event like this happen again

anytime soon.