How the olive oil led me to the crash scene.

Long ago and far away...well not that far away, maybe 7 miles from where we are living now...
My pregnant mom, my 17 month old brother Scott, and I were hit by a drunk driver. 

But there was not a term like "drunk driver" back then. Driving and drinking were socially 
acceptable. Sort of. Can you even imagine that ever being okay?

It was Oct 15, 1966. I was 12. It was very dark and about 9pm.
We were just coming home from Friant where we had been visiting my Grandma.

I saw a car go through a stop sign and I could tell we were going to be hit.
The impact threw me to the car floor along with my little brother, while "the car spun
around several times" (according to my mom's journal).

I remember as soon as the car stopped my mom asked me, "Are you okay?"
 I remember saying, "No."
I was okay, but did not feel it at the time!

No seat belts back then, or atleast no one used them. 
I was bruised up and broke my ring finger, and Mom and Scotty were fine.

Thankfully Heidi (Scott's twin) stayed home with my Dad that evening. I would have been holding
her on my lap. As it was, Scotty had been standing up next to my mom when we crashed.

One of the men in the other car ended up flying out of his car and died landing on the road.
My mom and I were subpoenaed to court the next month on Nov 23, 1966. (Strange how exactly 30
years later on that same day, my husband would be killed.
Sometimes it's better not to know our future.)

We were lucky not to all have been killed. Both cars were going fast on what were old country roads
back then. We were out in the "middle of no where" and there was just one little house on the SE
corner of that intersection. An older man and woman came outside to see if we were okay. They
helped us into their home and let me lie on their couch until my Dad came to pick us up.

So why this story now?

I was interested in an article this week in our Fresno Bee about 
the various ways to buy olive oil in our area.

Looking through the list in the paper, the only local organic oil is Enzo Olive Oil, 
so I went on a google search to find some.

I noticed it was sold in a little Retail store on the SE corner of Willow and Shepherd.

I thought for a moment......"corner of Willow and Shepherd" sounds so familiar....

Then I remembered!

I had been by that corner many times though the years but can't remember when they tore down that
old farm house. And I didn't realize till this week they now sell Olive Oil there.
 See that old tree out front of the store? 
Den thinks that was left there from the original little farm house. I like to believe so.

And that's my little story for the day.


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is hard to believe, but drinking and driving WAS "normal" back then. I remember. Though I was born to a family of non-drinkers, I noticed that others drove drunk. Also, most everyone smoked... except my family.
Almost all the guys I knew in high school smoked. I never questioned it. When I see someone smoking now, I think "really? don't you know not to do that?" Times have changed.
Glad you were not seriously hurt in that accident all those years ago!
darlene

Grandma Honey said...

Remember that line from old movies, "One more for the road."

K Raven Rozier, MA, HHP, MH said...

Bari is an excellent olive oil out in Dinuba/Reedley. That's what I buy. Interesting story, too, about the accident.

Grandma Honey said...

Hi Raven! Do you know if Bari oil is sold locally? Is it organic?

Rebecca said...

Wow that is a crazy story. I am glad you were all ok. Isn't it funny how we never had seatbelt back in those days.....

Scrapally said...

Times have surely changed. We used to ride in the back of my dad's pickup all the time! And I can't ever remember wearing seatbelts as a kid. I wonder what year the seatbelt laws came into effect. Scary accident for you to be in, glad it turned out okay for you!

K Raven Rozier, MA, HHP, MH said...

I used to get Bari at the Vineyard Farmers' mkt., but I don't think they're there anymore. I go out to their store in Dinuba; it's a nice day trip through the country. I stock up on their big sizes so I'll be good for a while. They have a lot of items there, different foods and flavored oils, etc. You could google them and call to see if they sell in Clovis/Fresno.

K Raven Rozier, MA, HHP, MH said...

Forgot to mention, Bari is minimally processed. Here's a store locator from their site: http://www.barioliveoil.com/store-locator.html

krheasley said...

What a scary story! And how sad that someone died. I'm glad that you guys came out alright. So many other tragic ways that could have ended.

Does Trader Joe's not sell organic olive oil? I would think that whatever you are looking for would be right up their alley.

Grandma Honey said...

Yes TJs does sell olive oil, but I've been reading to get the freshest, it's best to buy olive oil that's grown locally. Or maybe I've just become an olive oil snob. :)

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