21-year old Lita was a professional acrobat for a traveling circus and during the off-season winter months saved money by living at home with her strict stepmother who had established her own set of policies as a condition of her living there.
One day Lita rushed downstairs to answer their landline phone and it was her step grandma asking her if she was going to make the social gathering at her home for relatives interested in going. Lita politely and diplomatically said "no thank you, grandma, not this year, I have some other obligations to take care of," which actually meant that she wanted to spend that day with her boyfriend who she didn't see very often due to his job requiring travel.
After she hung up the phone her stepmother quietly approached her from behind. "I heard that conversation Lita." Lita immediately whirled around in surprise. She had not seen her mom's car in the driveway on the way down the stairs and thus thought her mom wasn't home. "Oh, uh, hi Mom, I thought you weren't home."
"It so happened that I had to leave my car in the repair shop" answered the mother. "Now you promised me three weeks ago that you would attend this event for me because I have important business to take care of myself."
At that the young girl turned her back on her mother with a huge sigh but at the last second her mom caught her rolling her eyes in the reflection of the large living room mirror. "Don't roll your eyes at me young lady," now you best call grandma back like now and tell her you will be there."
"Ok" the girl answered reluctantly, "I will make the trip."
The day of the trip arrived and Lita set out for the journey dressed in a blouse with a skirt and heels for the formal family gathering about an hour's drive away. In Louisiana winters were fairly mild and she only needed a light jacket to wear over her blouse.
About 20 minutes into her journey down the highway she noticed the scene of what appeared to be a multiple vehicle accident further up ahead which was causing other traffic to be backed up. She quickly made a decision to exit the highway and make the remainder of the journey on the rural stretch of back roads thinking it would also bring a refreshing change of scenery as well.
She was going down a certain stretch of the road when suddenly a sharp hairpin turn threw her off guard and challenged her reflexes. She navigated the sharp turn just in time to stay on the road but a few minutes later and with dusk approaching some weird looking large bird suddenly appeared in the middle of the road.
She made the decision to swerve her car to avoid hitting the bird but in the process lost control of the vehicle and sent it sliding down an embankment and when it finally came to rest it was partially submerged in a swamp.
Lita noticed the car filling with water fast and had to act quickly in order to not get her formal attire all wet. She quickly opened the driver's door and with one well-toned and muscular leg stepped onto the embankment and walked up the hill.
She was not at all injured but where would she turn now for help with getting her car out the swamp? Her cellphone was now useless because it was on the passenger seat of the car and was now submerged under water.