It was during the Easter break and my wife and I were driving back home enjoying the scenery and serenity of the countryside after a few days in the country.
The day was perfect and conditions excellent although oncoming traffic was far heavier that traffic going our way. It was comfortable cruising just under the speed limit.
I noted the road sign “Kangaroos Next 5km” but, being the middle of the day, wasn’t particularly perturbed by it because kangas are more of a problems at dawn or dusk. That is until we’d done about another 4km, and then…
Bang!
The second of two kangaroos that bounded across the road just ahead of me didn’t make it. We hit the poor animal, passenger-side front.
In an instant thoughts sped through my brain.
Are we all right, is the car going to crash and then, oh, that poor kangaroo!
We slowed to a stop.
Checked ourselves. No damage, lucky we hit the ’roo on the offside corner not amidships where it might have gone through our windscreen and killed us both.
Checked the car, a bit of a mess, lights and bits of bodywork hanging off but a spare dog lead would anchor things and make it driveable to get home.
And the kangaroo? Dead at the speed we hit!
Nothing could be done (although ashamedly I admit I should have checked for a joey in the pouch which might have been saveable, but didn’t).
So, leaving the scene I tried to relax to let the adrenalin settle down and collected my thoughts.
And the strange thing was that I could have thought about our lucky escape, the cost of car repairs and inconvenience of no car and all that stuff but they were furthest from my mind.
All I could think about was that poor defenceless kangaroo whose life I had snuffed out in a moment.
Sure I know farmers regard them as pests, and sure I know they have no road sense and sure I know…
But they are such a magnificent creature, defenceless in their territory and maybe that one was carrying a joey, a new life.
And it didn’t stand a chance! Tears rolled down my cheek!
All in an instant.
Hi Winston. After many years it is good to see you are still helping people succeed in life. Ok
Thanks Allen, much appreciated. Trust that you are in good health and loving life too.Have a f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c day … Winno