Sheesh, this guy......he and his two mates nearly get greased, and he's tellin us about his hat!! THAT'S an Indyfan!! Glad you're all ok, pal!! (NM)

Posted by Indiana Jimmie from c534436-a.potlnd1.or.home.com on March 20, 2001 at 10:52:47:

In Reply to: The Great Accident... posted by West on March 19, 2001 at 23:08:36:

: After spring break in college you have only one thought in your mind as you take that long drive back to school, dreading the hours of homework and school work ahead of you and the time you know can be probably used doing something fun or useful. So as I drove my small red '93 Mazda truck with a red camper shell (I like to call it my small metallic red turtle)wearing my treasured Peters Brothers hat with my brother sleeping in the back seat and my best friend James riding by my side I concentrate on the long drive at hand and hoping we don't get there too quickly.
: We fuel up the truck at the half way point and head out again; I remember clearly that I got $18 worth of gas, Bradley (my brother) had just eaten a hot dog, and I was listening to Latin music and wearing my PB fedora. The next couple of hours are a blur...
: According to all that have told me of what occured (for I have short term amnesia it seems and do not remember things right before, during, and right after the accident) my left rear tire blew and though I tried, I lost control of the truck and we were fling off the road. The camper shell took most of the force as the truck rolled and soon my brother was flung out of the car (which saved his life) as my friend and myself stayed (strapped by our seat belts) in the car as it rolled five times. We rolled five times...the idea of it still amazes me. What was left to, and what James and I were still strapped to, can to a holt when we hit a large cactus. The cabin of the truck where James was at protected him, while the ceiling of mine was dented in towards my head with my hat being the only thing in between. James and I (both in shock) crawled out if the car (no one knows how I did since my door was sealed shut) and using what sense we had in our shocked state got a hold of my mother and 911. The paramedics came and soon we were taken to the hospital.
: After tests upon tests, they found we were fine. No broken bones, no concussions. Just lots of scratches, cuts, bruises, lost stuff, and sore muscles. We were lucky, thank God, and the car took most of it.
: We were released the next day and after getting some clothes on us and food in us we, my father took us to the towing company that had my (or what as left of) truck. It was completely destroyed, with all of what they found of our lugage and things placed in what was left of my truck bed. The only thing that was in mint condition on my truck was the God forsaken steering wheel with an air bag that didn't deploy. I sifted through my rubble and after getting most of my things loaded onto my parent's van I found something that took my breath away, my fedora. Joe Peter's creation had survived a car accident that almost killed us all and I couldn't help but laugh. It was disfigured when I found it, and even after I popped it back into it's original shape it still had a few dings and things that wouldn't go away. The crown was almost perfect, the brim was absolutely the way it was before the accident, and the felt over all was a lot softer. My dad pointed out that there were some small scratches on the top of the brim, and after some careful figuring on where I was and where the fedora was, saw shards of metal sticking down from the ceiling (my hat saving me from more injuries). I then looked into the hat and saw the leather sweat band was in mint condition and so was the lining except for three blood and dirt marks.
: I still laugh at it all, just hours after the whole event. The hat sitting here by my side. "Bullet proof" it may not be but it is tough. I remember the nurses telling me how I was before my memory started working well, about how I was stubborn and wouldn't stay still. (Kindred spirits?) I know Joe will love hearing this, as my girlfriend (who bought this lovely thing for me) did. She called it my "lucky hat". Well Joe will be seeing this lucky hat soon for I'm sending it to him to be cleaned, reblocked, basically the works. I think it deserves it.
: This whole thing has been an interesting experience on being lucky and alive. I'm probably going to appreciate my adventures and surely this great hat more and more and I thank God I'm alive. I'm still hurting from it all and now convinced I'm going for the Veg goat skin (if what I've heard is right it might be able to live up to my Joe Peter Indy fedora)since it's "bullet proof" also.

: Well to many more future adventures my friends,
: West

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: : After spring break in college you have only one thought in your mind as you take that long drive back to school, dreading the hours of homework and school work ahead of you and the time you know can be probably used doing something fun or useful.  So as I drove my small red '93 Mazda truck with a red camper shell (I like to call it my small metallic red turtle)wearing my treasured Peters Brothers hat with my brother sleeping in the back seat and my best friend James riding by my side I concentrate on the long drive at hand and hoping we don't get there too quickly.  
: : We fuel up the truck at the half way point and head out again; I remember clearly that I got $18 worth of gas, Bradley (my brother) had just eaten a hot dog, and I was listening to Latin music and wearing my PB fedora.  The next couple of hours are a blur...
: : According to all that have told me of what occured (for I have short term amnesia it seems and do not remember things right before, during, and right after the accident) my left rear tire blew and though I tried, I lost control of the truck and we were fling off the road.  The camper shell took most of the force as the truck rolled and soon my brother was flung out of the car (which saved his life) as my friend and myself stayed (strapped by our seat belts)  in the car as it rolled five times. We rolled five times...the idea of it still amazes me. What was left to, and what James and I were still strapped to, can to a holt when we hit a large cactus.  The cabin of the truck where James was at protected him, while the ceiling of mine was dented in towards my head with my hat being the only thing in between. James and I (both in shock) crawled out if the car (no one knows how I did since my door was sealed shut) and using what sense we had in our shocked state got a hold of my mother and 911.  The paramedics came and soon we were taken to the hospital.
: : After tests upon tests, they found we were fine.  No broken bones, no concussions.  Just lots of scratches, cuts, bruises, lost stuff, and sore muscles. We were lucky, thank God, and the car took most of it.
: : We were released the next day and after getting some clothes on us and food in us we, my father took us to the towing company that had my (or what as left of) truck.  It was completely destroyed, with all of what they found of our lugage and things placed in what was left of my truck bed.  The only thing that was in mint condition on my truck was the God forsaken steering wheel with an air bag that didn't deploy.  I sifted through my rubble and after getting most of my things loaded onto my parent's van I found something that took my breath away, my fedora.  Joe Peter's creation had survived a car accident that almost killed us all and I couldn't help but laugh.  It was disfigured when I found it, and even after I popped it back into it's original shape it still had a few dings and things that wouldn't go away.  The crown was almost perfect, the brim was absolutely the way it was before the accident, and the felt over all was a lot softer.  My dad pointed out that there were some small scratches on the top  of the brim, and after some careful figuring on where I was and where the fedora was, saw shards of metal sticking down from the ceiling (my hat saving me from more injuries). I then looked into the hat and saw the leather sweat band was in mint condition and so was the lining except for three blood and dirt marks.
: : I still laugh at it all, just hours after the whole event.  The hat sitting here by my side.  "Bullet proof" it may not be but it is tough.  I remember the nurses telling me how I was before my memory started working well, about how I was stubborn and wouldn't stay still.  (Kindred spirits?)  I know Joe will love hearing this, as my girlfriend (who bought this lovely thing for me) did. She called it my "lucky hat". Well Joe will be seeing this lucky hat soon for I'm sending it to him to be cleaned, reblocked, basically the works.  I think it deserves it. 
: : This whole thing has been an interesting experience on being lucky and alive.  I'm probably going to appreciate my adventures and surely this great hat more and more and I thank God I'm alive.  I'm still hurting from it all and now convinced I'm going for the Veg goat skin (if what I've heard is right it might be able to live up to my Joe Peter Indy fedora)since it's "bullet proof" also.

: :                  Well to many more future adventures my friends,
: :                               West

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]