In a NY Minute, Everything Can Change

So it's a glorious day in Miami, as glorious as it can be in August. I awakened to a text from my old bud Norman -- LOL for breakfast. I replied of course. And we met and caught up, enjoying the company of Lori, our long time waitress. It was, as usual, my favorite way to start a weekend day. Tonight we have houseguests arriving at Villa Wifey -- my long time friend and professor Steve, and his wife Mary. Steve was a young professor at the U when I was an undergrad, and we developed the kind of bond I wished for the Ds to form at Florida, but they didn't get the opportunity. Steve and I even developed and taught a class together, and I watched his adorable little boys grow up to be fine, accomplished men. Only one of his sons has kids, and lives near D.C., so after Steve and Mary both retired from stellar careers at the U, they moved to Virginia to be close to the grandkids. They keep a place in Naples, and are passing through Miami on the way back North. We're having a little get together for Mary and Steve tonight -- including our neighbors Hilit and Alex, both UM Med professors who like me are Steve proteges...we've been meaning to have them over since they moved to the 'hood, now 2 years ago, and tonight seemed like a great excuse. At heart, I'm an innkeeper, as was my law mentor Ed. I love having people over -- entertaining them, and sharing life tales. Wifey is good at hosting, but likes it much less than I do, and so our parties have become rarer events over the years. But tonight we're on -- D1 is coming, too, as her boyfriend Joey is out of town for the weekend. I was driving home, thinking about placing my order for sushi and Chinese, and then nearly everything changed. A white pickup headed South and stopped at a sign decided to pull out right in front of me. I was doing about 35 -- maybe 40 -- and fortunately saw him out of the corner of my eye. I'm lucky as a driver. Years ago Paul and I had an associate who was also a professional race car driver, and whenever Albert and I would drive together, I'd have him give me professional driving tips. I learned about proper braking, and how sometimes you need to accelerate rather than brake to keep the proper center of balance to a car -- particularly when turning. I also learned about turning into an inevitable crash rather than allowing a pure T bone -- glancing blows cause less damage than head ons or T bones... So I JUST had enough time to brake -- fortunately my little girlie Caddy does it well -- and turn South for what seemed like the unavoidable collision. The truck stopped, and I ended up maybe an inch away. I saw right away it was an older man -- probably mid 70s. He looked terrified. He looked sad. He put up his arms and shouted in Spanish accented English "Ay -- so sorry." I just shook my head, and he drove away. I resumed my path home. And I thought of the great Don Henley song -- "NY Minute." That song was about a shooting, and how it changed so many things. But a stupid moment of carelessness nearly ruined my weekend plans, at least... I don't think the impact would have been fatal -- not fast enough. But there may well have been broken bones -- maybe worse. I assume the old man has a family who probably knows he needs to hang up his driver's license -- bright daylight moves like that show it's probably time. I well remember when we made my Mom and father in law do it -- it was traumatic for them, but they went pretty willingly... But for me, this am gave me yet another reminder about the need to savor each moment of life. In a NY or Miami minute, indeed everything can change...