Accident

  On the way to work today we had the radio on in the car.  There was a news report about an accident that had happened just off the M53 near Morton.  Just a short piece about a car that had come off the road and wrapped itself around a lamp post.  I didn't think anything of it, accidents happen, the thought that went through my head when I heard it was along the lines of 'silly buggers were probably speeding or something'.  When I got to work, Joan said that the lad, Chris, that was suposed to be supervising, hadn't turned up yet, and fleetingly my brain wondered idly about the crash, not really thinking that he had anything to do with it.  He had been.  He had been in the car behind fortunately, so he was unhurt, but he lost two of his friends when their car hit the lamp post.  The whole of Hoylake is in shock, it's the kind of village where everyone knows everyone, if not by name, then by face, and by the time the shop opened at 10am, everyone seemed to know, and everyone was talking about it.  There are a lot of rumours going around as to the exact details of what happened, a lot of speculation.  None of it really matters to me, the important detail is that two young men died last night.  I didn't know them personally, I was aquainted with one of them because he used to come into the shop either to see Chris or Aaron, or to shop.  He seemed like a really nice bloke.  He was nineteen, the other lad was seventeen.  It is such a waste, such a shame.  I can't think how their families and friends must be feeling now.
  I have been in a dreadful mood all day with a lot of the customers, complaining about petty quibbly little things, it puts life into perspective when something happens like this, and I'm sorry, but I cannot be happy and cheerful when dealing with somebody's buy one get one free offer that hasn't gone through, or a query as to why their deodorant has gone through at 99p instead of 98p, when I know that people I know are suffering and distraught somewhere and I can't do anything about it.  I actually feel quite guilty for being a little upset.  I didn't know the lads that died other than as faces who sometimes came into the store, friends of colleagues.  I guess what I'm feeling is a kind of general sadness at the loss of life, brought home because it's closer than just a news article now...