I was this close to getting my card punched around 11:30 today. Coincidentally, that’s almost exactly the time the plane crash happened 35 years ago today.

I waited at the light at Gregg Avenue and Appleby. When the light turned green, I took my time. It’s a dangerous intersection. A white sedan blew through the red light, going at least 60 mph. It was heading north in the fast lane. If you know the intersection, you know visibility is poor when you’re turning left onto Gregg because of the restricted corner and setback stop line for Appleby. Because traffic in the slow (right) lane was stopped and backed up, I couldn’t see someone flying down the fast lane.

I swerved slightly left as I was turning and came to an abrupt halt. It was ‘just’ enough. The white sedan missed by about an inch as it blew through the light. A half-second earlier and I would have been smashed into oblivion. I’m not sure what triggered my response.

It’s only been a week since I saw an accident in front of me in the same spot.

The weird thing? I didn’t have a reaction. Zilch. No adrenaline, no fast heartbeat, nothing.

My subconscious was working in overdrive, and doubly so because today is the 35th anniversary of the plane crash. I think I was mentally prepared for another plane crash in honor of the ridiculous and capricious universe we live in.

When I finished my turn and continued down Gregg, something was off about my brake and gas pedals. It turned out my phone had flown forward and lodged under my foot when I came to an abrupt halt to avoid getting T-boned.

PS I’ve been remiss in buying lottery tickets. Until today. Probability is for the weak-minded.