I was in the passenger seat of the Chevy Malibu driven by the lieutenant stationed at Cherry Point. He was a pilot, so I felt pretty safe sitting there in the co-pilots seat. It had just started to rain as we approached Hartford. I think he was thinking of getting off I-91 onto Route 2. That's what he started to do, then realized his mistake and spun the steering wheel, hit the brakes.

The Malibu hit the bridge and spun out. I remember sliding to the left, hitting the pilot real hard as his head slammed into the side window. Neither one of us were wearing seatbelts.

The Malibu came to rest in the middle of I-91. How we didn't get thrown from the car I'll never know. The Malibu was totalled. The cops arrived. The pilot and I were taken to Hartford Hospital where we were treated and released.

I've thought of that crash a lot over the years. Especially as I'm driving through Hartford on I-91. That's what I was doing yesterday when a tractor trailer truck jackknifed in front of me. A light drizzle was falling, as it was back when the pilot and I were traveling south on our way back to the bases where we were stationed.

I hit the brakes and started to skid...

Kept the car in control. Sped past the truck and copped a look in the rear view mirror. This all happened about a quarter mile from where the Malibu got totalled. Another close call on that same stretch of highway. Another close call.