Things experienced so far in LA – part 2

— I am geared up emotionally for the freeways. I keep saying, “You can do this, Sheila. You can do this. You are not the same girl as the one who lived here so many years ago, and who couldn’t handle it. You can do this.”

— I am absolutely gobsmacked by the mountain vistas and the palm trees. What a psychedelic place. Beautiful. The weather is spectacular.

— I follow Alex’s directions to the letter, and yet still immediately get lost and find myself well on the way to Sacramento. Dammit. How did that happen? I pull off, and turn around, and get myself back on the freeway going in the other direction. I am a bit panicked, but I am still talking myself off the cliff. This time things go right. I surge onto the 101 South – one of the most terrifying roadways this side of the Autobahn and careen south. I count the exits. I am on my way to my brother’s.

— People drive like maniacs. I try not to let them pressure me into driving more dangerously than I feel comfortable with. You will not bully me!!!

— And here’s where one of the scariest things that has ever happened in my life occurred.

— We hit a spot of traffic right after the Hollywood Bowl exit. Traffic slows down. I am in 2nd gear – so that gives you an idea of my speed. I still shudder when I think what might have happened if … I had been going 70. I couldn’t fall asleep last night reliving it, and reliving all of the alternative possibilities. I kept shaking myself awake, horrified. Horrible. Horrible. I could have died. I could have died in a fiery mesh. My God. Anyway, we come over a little hilll – not THE hill – but a smaller incline – and as I come around the corner, I go to put on the brakes – and the pedal goes all the way to the floor. I am not stopping. I am not stopping. Holy shit. I am not stopping. Also, thank God that I kept my state of mind beforehand and didn’t let the crazy drivers pressure me into tailgaiting or going too fast – there was plenty of room between me and the car in front of me – but the pedal went to the floor and I did not stop … I started gasping: “Oh my God oh my god oh my god oh my god …” and I somehow became a stunt driver. On command. I put my blinker on … surged into the right hand lane … meanwhile, I’m just drifting … the brakes don’t work …. and I surged out of that lane … I honestly don’t know what would have happened if there had been cars on all sides … a car was coming up behind me but there happened to be enough space to let me go to the right … and then I went into the breakdown lane … and since we weren’t on a huge decline (thank GOD) I drifted to a full stop. “Safely” in the breakdown lane. I somehow find the clarity to put the hazards on – although I first turned on the air conditioner, mistaking that for the hazards button. I am now stranded on the side of the GD 101. With no brakes.

— I have been in LA for less than 24 hours.