Today started out an ordinary day. Perhaps, even a bit better. Shawn and I had a romantic evening at home last night and I awoke with a smile this morning for the first time in quite awhile. I showered and dressed. Got my make-up done just so and my hair styled perfectly. I had made lunch for tonight last night- a new recipe found on a cooking show on the food network. The recipe was for �Hogs in a Sleeping Bag.� Polish Kielbasas wrapped in a pocket of puff pastry. So I packed that up and we set off to run our errands before meeting up to ride to work together.

But when we arrived, Jamie and another friend were in the parking lot right next to where I parked. Jamie looked shocked and devastated, the other friend looked matter-of-fact. Jamie told us that we had to hear something, and when I made light of the news to be- he said in a very serious tone that it was �bad- very bad.� Well, my heart sank. And even more so when I heard what they had to tell us.

R.W., one of the maintenance men on the day shift at our work was working on one of the machines and it pinned him, nearly cutting him in half from what the rumors are telling us. He�s gone. Dead. Just like that.

There are no words, emotions or expressions that can explain what went through my mind upon hearing that news. Or anyone else�s for that matter. There is a myriad of emotions, thoughts and scenarios running rampant through my once numbed but thawing mind right now.

This morning, a man woke up from his sleep to start his day. He probably went through some sort of morning ritual to get himself ready and situated to start his day. He probably kissed and hugged his wife good-bye before leaving, not knowing that he had done so for the last time. He came to work, talked with co-workers. Probably shared a bitch and a laugh of two like most of us do on any given day. He probably sat down and ate his lunch as he shot the shit with someone and then resumed his normal workday routine.

But today was not an ordinary day. Not that anyone could have known or predicted that. Today, when he went to work on a machine that has been giving us fits- it gave him one last and final devastating gesture. It pinned him, it tore his body up and ultimately, killed him. I don�t know exactly what happened, I wasn�t there. What any of us know is only what the rumor mills have been feeding to us.

A meeting was called at the beginning of the shift to convey the sympathy and inform us all with what information was available. Not that any of that helped. They introduced grief counselors and let it be known that work could resumed as normal, but anyone wishing to leave for the night was welcome to do so without penalty.

Of the 25 employees in my plant on second shift- there are only 6 or 7 of us still here. I don�t want to be- it almost seems like a spit in the face to the dead. But Shawn wanted to be here for those who stayed. I can understand that. They�d have shut the doors for the night, but the grief counselors said to let those who wanted to work- work. As some people need to continue on with their normal routines to get through their grief. I guess I can see their point.

But I can�t help thinking� so many thoughts and scenarios run wild and unchained. That could have been Shawn or Jamie, both are in the mechanical departments. It could have been Frank or even me. It could have been anyone. Honestly, anyone! We all get a bit comfortable in our surroundings. We get to feeling that we know the machines and how they operate as if they were (if you will) like our own children. We run them, we doctor them, we deal with them day after day. And in our comfort, we might bypass a safety switch. We might think we can slide by cheating a little bit. And maybe, just maybe, it�ll be okay. But then in doing so- we cannot guarantee that we won�t slip, make a tiny mistake that ends up a major catastrophe. We cannot predict that we will be safe. We just take it for granted and assume we will be.

I�d be willing to bet that 80% or better of us here at work have taken a crazy risk at one time or another. We�ve all played a game of Machining Facility Roulette once or twice in our careers� But today, one man�s life was cost.

And along with that man�s life being extinguished forever, a woman lost her husband. His children lost their father. His Grandbabies lost their Grandfather. His siblings lost a brother. A set of parents lost their child. Nieces and nephews lost an uncle. Friends lost a friend. Co-workers lost one of their own. And this world lost one hell of a man.

Those facts alone are enough to humble anyone really. They put things in a whole new perspective for me. My heart goes out to R.W.�s family. And my prayers will be said for his soul and all those who are grieving.

I beg all of you who have taken the time to read this- hug your loved ones. Call them if you can�t get to them to hug them. Tell them t hat you love them and how much they mean to you.

Life really is too short. R.W. went to work today and never got the chance to go home� it could have been anyone. Anyone.

Simply,

Sara