"'Shit!'

I wrenched the steering wheel over to the right, causing the tires to scream and protest.

A deep horn blared loudly, almost rupturing my eardrums, and the interior was momentarily illuminated

by harsh white headlights.

For a split second, my life flashed in front of my eyes, and then—

I felt the bumpiness of the grassy edge of the road jostle me around.

The 18-wheeler which had veered into my lane missed me by less than a foot, blasting by in a blur

at what had been 70 miles an hour or more. After a split second of catching my breath, I jabbed the driver's

side window down and stuck my head out into the pouring rain.

"'Asshole!' I screamed at the retreating logging truck, though I knew the driver wouldn't be

able to hear me. A moment later, an outraged woman's voice tumbled from the speakers my rented

Chrysler 300. I beg your damn

pardon? Regating my senses and remembering I'd been in the middle of a phone call, I sat back

down in the seat. Not you, Aaron, I said apologetically. If you didn't hear the commotion on my end of

the line, I almost got splattered all over the front end of some morons, Peterbilt, who wandered

over to my side of the road.

There was a moment of silence from the speakers.

Then my agent led out a small snort.

Well, isn't that just grand?

You gotta love idiots on the roads these days.

It took a softer tone.

I'm glad you didn't get into an accident, Al.

...