I headed to Iowa Friday morning for a Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference.  I hit the road at 5:15 a.m. and drove to Dixon, Iowa, to meet two other writers and car-pool to the conference in Des Moines.

At least, that was the plan.

I got all the way through Mayville and was about five miles from Dixon when my plans changed. Highway 130 curved left, and I did not. At one minute I was driving down the highway,and the next I was off the road and in a very muddy farm field. There wasn’t a shoulder on the road, so I dropped off a bit and did a very impressive skid until I stopped when my car sank in the mud.  

It was surprising.

It was scary.

It hurt.

My first thought was I would just drive back on the road and inch my way to my ultimate destination. But when I tried, I realized how stuck I really was.

I got out of the car and found the cows across the road staring at me and moo-ing with what sounded like concern. Then a quartet of some of the nicest people I’ve ever met arrived separately. First, a passing sheriff’s deputy stopped. I don’t have lots of experience with law-enforcement officers, but I’d defy you to find a nicer one than the Scott County deputy who helped me. Not only did he NOT give me a ticket (“Why add insult to injury?” is what he said. “You didn’t hurt anything.”) he made me feel better by telling me stories of other people who have failed to negotiate this curve and hit telephone poles and mailboxes on their way off the road.

Then, a woman from the farm across the street came over to see if I was OK. She told me more stories about the curve and stayed until the sheriff’s deputy left. Next, the husband of a friend of mine arrived in his truck. I’d never met him before, but he helped me assess the damage to my car — a bent tire rim and a ripped-off front bumper for starters. He also drove me the rest of the way to Dixon.

Finally, the farmer whose field I ended up in, came out to see if I was OK. He told me more stories about cars that ended up in the field and thanked me for waiting until after the harvest and for missing his mailbox.

My friend, Jill Esbaum, drove me to Des Moines and helped me calm done. Once I got to the conference, I met even more nice people who helped me get a rental car and offered sympathy and support.

There’s still stuff to figure out. We don’t know exactly what’s wrong with my car or how easy it will be to fix. Once we know that, my car still has to be repaired, which likely won’t take place until later next week.  I need to be back to work on Monday. So there will be a return trip to Iowa to get my car back.

I also have to give a shout-out to my husband for his understanding. He didn’t say “You did WHAT!?!” He didn’t lecture. He didn’t sigh. He just said, “We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry.” He is a model for spouses everywhere.

Thanks to everyone I encountered for their kindness, help and support. You made a scary situation more bearable.

And, with any luck, my trip home — whether by bus or by rental car — will go according to plan. I have no desire to see another farm field up close and personal.