I received my very favorite Christmas present of all time that wonderful winter evening last December. It was a few days before the big event and I had just returned home from university for the holidays. Unfortunately, because of studying for examinations, I had not yet had much time for shopping.
My mother suggested I travel to the gigantic mall located in a large city a hundred miles away. Mother told me she got all her shopping done in one day at the place. I took her suggestion and headed for that mall early the next morning, despite the weathermanâs dire prediction of blizzard-like conditions.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. I didnât care. My father suggested I take his brand new Lincoln Navigator with four-wheel drive and plenty of room for presents. Nobody but father had driven the two week new black beauty yet.
The Christmas spirit really began to affect me as I traipsed through the huge mall, selecting appropriate gifts for all my family and friends. I especially enjoyed playing in the toy stores. That sure brought back some fond childhood memories. I picked out a Chicken Dance Elmo for my favorite cousinâs little daughter. When Elmo squawked âElmo wants to be a chicken! Elmo wants to be a duck!â I burst out laughing and all the other adults stared at me.
Returning home from the mall, I decided to take a short cut over back country roads my father had told me about. It had turned dark and snowed so hard I could only see a few feet in front of me. A deer suddenly jumped out on the road and I panicked and slammed on the brakes. Big mistake. I slid off the road, over an embankment and into a small ravine.
The Lincoln landed on its roof with the front pointed slightly upwards, which turned out to be a blessing. The air bag had deployed which prevented me from being injured but I could barely move. I couldnât free myself and I couldnât get to my cell phone in my purse on the passenger seat. The vehicleâs engine had shut off and I was pinned such that I couldnât reach the key to attempt to start it, just to keep warm. While driving I had taken my coat off and opened the window slightly which seemed to keep the windows clearer, and cranked up the heater/defroster.
I sat there for what seemed to me to be hours just shivering. Hardly any other vehicles had been on this road and they couldnât see me now anyway. I couldnât move and I couldnât summon help. Snow and wind blew in the open window. All seemed hopeless. I thought I just might freeze to death if my dire situation didnât change for the better soon. Finally I got some sort of idea. The possibility anyone would see my signal seemed remote but I thought it just might be my only chance to be rescued. I could reach the headlight switch. I turned the lights on and alternated between high beams and low beams for a few minutes and then turned them off and then repeated the process over and over and over. Like I said, the nose of the Lincoln did point up in the air. I did this for what must have been hours as the headlights got dimmer and dimmer until there was no juice left. I started to pray.
Oh my God! I saw lights. I saw another vehicle approaching. It got fairly close. Not a car. It looked like some sort of ATV. The driver got off and came up to my window and spoke. âNot to worry, lady, Iâll get you out of there. But first, do you think youâre injured?â Sweet music to my ears let me tell you, a human voice other than my own. I had feared I might never hear one again.
âNo, no, nothing hurts. But Iâm freezing in here. I might have frostbite.â
He forced open the door and deflated the air bag and cut the seat belt with a knife. But I still was upside down. âOkay, miss, now move your arms and legs and letâs make sure there is no reason I should summon emergency medical personnel instead of just yanking you out of there.â
âPull me out! It will take forever for them to get here. Iâm not hurt. I need to get warm. God, Iâm so cold!â
âYes, I would imagine. But youâll be fine soon.â
He began to gently inch me out of the Lincoln and I was out and standing on my feet in ten minutes. But not for long. I fainted but only momentarily. He picked me up and carried me in his arms to the ATV. After wrapping me in a blanket he put me behind him. âNow, you have to hang on to me,â he advised. âWeâll be someplace warm real quick.â I hung on for dear life.
It seemed like forever but Iâm sure it took only about twenty minutes until we entered a house and he carried me into a large den with a wood burning stove right in the middle of it. Logs burning brightly. Heat! Hallelujah! He put me upright up again. I could stand this time.
âOkay, miss, take off your clothes.â
âWhat?â
âYour clothes. Remove them.â
âWhy? Are you a doctor or something? Are you going to examine me?â
âMiss, your clothes are cold and wet. Iâm going to get you a sleeping bag. You get in that and sit or lay by the fire and youâll warm up. As a matter of fact, I am a doctorâŠan intern at a hospital in San Francisco. This is my parentâs home. Iâm spending the holidays with them. I wonât examine you unless you want me to. Perhaps I will have a look at your hands and feet to check for frostbite. But first, get warm. Now, Iâm going to get the bag. You take your clothing off and cover up with the blanket. Iâll throw your stuff in the dryer. Are we communicating effectively?â
âYes, sir, doctor, sir.â I laughed lightly and began to feel a little better. And my, the doctor was good looking once he took off the stocking hat and scarf.
Soon I lay naked in the sleeping bag by the fire, but I still shivered and he noticed. âI have another suggestion,â he offered.
âCook me in the fire?â I jested. He laughed. Delightful smile. And those eyes!
âWhat about a drink? Cocoa or tea or something?â
âHow about a shot of Jack Daniels?â I responded. Thatâs what my father drank but I hated the stuff.
âHow about a small glass of wine?â he countered.
âThat would be nice.â
âBe right back. Something to eat? I could make you a sandwich or something.â I shook my head indicating no thank you. âAre you a student at PUMA university?â he asked with a smirk as he picked up my sweatshirt, black bra and panties and other clothing. âThe sweatshirt with the logo.â
âClose on the PUMA. My school also has four letters and starts with a P.â
âThat would have been my first guess. I saw the bumper sticker on your vehicle.â
âMy father put that on. You donât really think I can afford a Lincoln Navigator, do you? Daddy is one of those fanatic alumni.â
âAnd black underwear? Surprise, surprise.â
âI bet you wear pink boxer shorts.â
âOnly because I washed the boxers with my red sweater. Let me get you your beverage, young lady, before you accuse me of being a child molester.â
He soon brought a bottle and two glasses. âThis is an Argentine wine, specifically 2001 Catena Chardonnay. Crisp and fresh, with pear and apple aromas.â He handed me a half full glass. âI suppose perhaps we should make a toast. But first, Iâm Mark.â
âIâm Annie. Well, actually, the name on my birth certificate is Annebelle. That was my great-grandmotherâs name and I got stuck with it too. No one calls me Annebelle because I hurt them if they do. Old Annebelle, the name suited her, called me Annebelle but sheâs with the angels now, rest her soul. Quite a lady. She taught me how to knit and crochet when I was a kid.â
âHereâs to your good heath, Annebelle.â I gave him a dirty look. âAnd no more accidents, âeh, Annie?â We clicked glasses lightly and I tasted the wine.
âThis is excellent, funny guy, but Iâm not legally old enough to drink alcohol in this state. Almost, but not quite. You are contributing to the delinquency of a minor, doctor! Iâll reserve judgment on the child molester charge.â I winked playfully.
âHeaven forbid! But as a physician I do sometimes advocate treatment that is considered illegal and/or unethical by some. For example, prescribing marijuana for terminally ill cancer patients. If you are almost old enough to drink, then I am about five years older than you.â
âA dirty old man! By the way, where are your parents, Grandpa? I suspect you require a chaperon. They might frown upon naked young ladies in your den.â
âIâm glad to see you have retained your sense of humor throughout this ordeal, young lady. My parents are in Las Vegas with my brother and his wife. Kind of a Christmas present junket. Iâm picking them all up at the airport tomorrow. Speaking of family, isnât there someone you should call to let them know of your whereabouts?â
âOh, my, yes, yes, yes! Geez, I hope Daddy isnât mad about his Lincoln.â
âThe important thing is that you werenât injured, Annie. Iâm sure your father will understand and be thankful rather than upset. Hereâs my cell phone.â
âThanks, Mark. I left mine back there in the blizzard. Couldnât get to it when I was stuck.â
âYou call and Iâll go get some more firewood.â
My father didnât get upset, just like Mark predicted. When he found out I wasnât hurt he joked about the entire situation. Of course I didnât exactly tell him I was stranded and naked with a handsome doctor, although I donât think he would have minded that all that much. Daddy already had previously expressed considerable interest in marrying me off even though I hadnât even graduated from university yet. High anxiety about his first grandchild I guess. My older brother David doesnât even have a girlfriend. He joked he wanted a new Lincoln anyway, even though his was only two weeks old, and how much heâd rather have that white one at the dealership than the black which he couldnât keep looking clean. Daddy said heâd take care of reporting the accident to the police and insurance company, having it towed, and arranging the delivery of a rental vehicle to my current location. He first insisted on coming immediately to pick me up but I talked him out of that one. I kind of liked it where I was. I told him Iâd just wait until morning for the rental and drive home. Not until I mentioned how bad the roads were right now and how much better they would be in the morning did he finally agree.
Mark came back with the wood just after I hung up. I told him briefly of the conversation with my father and that I would have a rental car in the morning.
âLet me have a look at your hands, Annie.â I still shivered and my hands remained very cold. âI donât think you have frostbite but you still have that chill. It might take awhile. You sat upside down in that cold Lincoln for quite some time.â
âHow in the world did you find me, Mark? I mean, I thought it just might be hopeless.â
âIâm not sure if you noticed but this house is on a hill. Not only that but I was up on the roof.â
âUp on the roof? Playing Santa? Ho, ho, ho!â
He chuckled delightfully. âNo, actually, I cleaned the snow off the satellite dish because the reception got bad. Who wants to watch a fuzzy Lakers game? I told my father not to put it on the roof but he said the higher the better. I saw your blinking lights from up there and went down to investigate.â
âSo I owe my salvation to a Lakers game?â
âYes, you certainly do.â We both broke up. Why do women so easily fall in love with their doctor?
âMark?â
âYes, Annie?â
âWould you get in the sleeping bag with me?â
âWhat?â
âTake off your clothes and get in here with me.â
âUhâŠI donât knowâŠâ