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Alas through some miscommunication over assigned diary
days you get two perspectives of Day 14 and as a penance I have to do this
one – for me an eventful day!
We started by returning to McPherson College but this time to their unique
and highly acclaimed Auto Restoration course. Despite being in the throes of
a faculty upgrade and reorganisation we were given a comprehensive tour of
the facilities and this illustrated in some detail the logical stages of any
full renovation.
Time was pressing and as both Roger& Linda Lacey were unwell I was
designated to drive their car with Roger as passenger (Linda with Jeremy)
the 220 miles or so to Kansas City. On sitting in the car and acclimatising,
setting things up I found the odometer had never been used – “it’s not in
the Instruction Manual” mumbled Roger.
He bravely gave navigation details but after a vomit stop we pulled into
Council Grove for a break and snack. In this quaint town we were served by a
Mennonite family in a very homely atmosphere. In the meantime our casualties
were sitting on the roadside kerb in the shade but a more comfortable and
relaxing solution was to stretch them out on our back up flat bed trailer
(vacant for once !) where they both immediately fell asleep. They had joined
illustrious company as Fiona was fast asleep in the cab having succumbed to
the same bug! On awaking they are seated in the luxury of a large cruiser
and continue to Kansas City in cool comfort.
Kemosabe and Tonto plough on in both cars and there is a near disaster when
K tries to ignore his leading trusty guide and leave the very busy
Interstate at J223B and not the indicated J228B – he recovers well and we
are now in torrential rain and very heavy rush hour traffic, exacerbated by
road works on US56.
As we inch along Shawnee Mission Highway we see the Fryrear’s car stopped at
the road side so we naturally pull over to assist. I put the hood up on
Roger’s car then wander over to help, feel dizzy and as they say the rest is
history!
Whilst seated on the fender of Ben’s car an off duty nurse pulls over and
both she and Judy Fryrear (also a nurse) provide a swig of water I vomit and
pass out again. A passing Samaritan sees me lying on the grass and calls 911
reporting a motor accident and in some five minutes we have the full panoply
of services - Police, Ambulance and Fire Brigade. The Friday night commuters
must be cursing! On being checked over and vomiting over the paramedic I
agree to a hospital ride as there were concerns at my pulse rate.
It was reassuring to see out of the ambulance rear window Lilac Mog with
Jeremy & Judy behind us and the Fire Engine behind them - what a striking
convoy!
Less reassuring over the next hour or so was Jeremy taking photos of me at
every opportunity – perhaps he would replay these to Sue as a “souvenir” of
my last moments!
Perhaps his judgement is warped by the prospect of inheriting the Bentley
Continental Seriously I could not fault the promptness, level of care,
attention and investigation - the problem finally being attributed simply to
an over sensitive reaction to raw onion coleslaw at lunch. After negotiating
release I cannot obviously report on much of the evening’s events other than
that Jeremy was most solicitous in providing a constant supply of tea
courtesy of The Quarterage at Westport – Earl Grey of course!
It was apposite to hear that the trio of Fiona, Linda & Roger had also gone
to a local hospital and had needed rehydrating. Incidentally Roger had
passed us and seen his car parked up and me on the ground - an unforgettable
day in so many senses.
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