The Rest of the Story: For Want of a Med

  i see that  i left you with a cliffhanger the other day.  Here's what happened next.
  As i said, letting him cross the street is a comparatively recent phenomenon.  Usually he does it well and carefully, and i've been giving him more discretion in deciding if it's clear.
  On this day, he got to the street before me.  He was agitated and impatient, and it was midafternoon, the beginning of rush hour.
  Not a good combination.

The Crux of the Story

  i was almost to the end of the driveway myself as Max returned to our side of the street, with the mail.
  i had barely absorbed that when i realized that he was throwing himself down our shallow embankment as a dark pickup dodged an oncoming car, barely avoided the hydrant in our yard, and stopped just before the utility pole.
  Scared?  You betcha.
  Max promptly picked himself up, continuing with his agitaited noises.  He seemed fine.  i realized that there had been no contact with the truck, though Max had crossed heedless of oncoming traffic.
  We all do that sometimes.  The results are often ok, and sometimes disastrous.
  i say it calmly, but i was not.  However, i did know that my boy was ok, and most needed to be alone.

The Driver

  i turned my attention to the driver, running toward us.
  He was looking like a basket case.
  "I am SO sorry.  Is he ok?  I did not see him!"
  "Max, are you ok?  Can you tell him you are sorry?
  "I'm sorry."
  "Do you want to ask me for the house keys?"
  "May I have the house keys please?"
  i gave them to him, and, as Max dashed toward the house, said to the driver," You see how it is with him?  Are YOU ok?  How is your truck?"
  i explained to the very agitated driver about the steps we'd taken in allowing Max to cross alone, and that he was fine.
  ok, that wasn't true, but Max's not fine-ness had little to nothing to  do with his close encounter with a pickup truck.  Caused,  perhaps, but it was nothing for the driver to reproach himself with.

And After

  Max is none the worse for the incident.  The driver was calm enough to continue his way in a few minutes, and the truck seemed unharmed.  The yard was undamaged too, another of his concerns.  (Not the first time someone's run a vehicle in our yard, & won't be the last, and the reason isn't always so good.)
  A few minutes later i called the drugstore, asking about the medication though i honestly believed the doctor wouldn't be calling for another hour or more.
  It was ready.  So i went to pick it up.
  Max opted to stay home with his brother, but i don't think either of us would've wanted him to come even if  Boom hadn't been home.  It was time for Max to vent in the living room
  i gave him a dose when i returned and life began to return to normal.
  Whatever that is.