In one way I think should apologise in advance for this post. It’s not my usual “what’s coming up this week” post. I’ll whizz that one out tomorrow. This morning’s is a little bit more sombre than that, but I it’s pretty much all I’ve been able to think about for the past couple of days. I’m talking about the tragic events in Puisseguin last Friday morning.
The long and short of it looks like this. A bus full of pensioners on their way to a holiday crashed into a jack-knifed lorry and then burst into flames. 43 people have been killed in the worst road accident in France for over 30 years. 41 bus passengers, the lorry driver, and his 3 year-old son.
Some of you may have heard of Puisseguin as one of the satellite appellations of Saint Émilion. This is a close community. People know each other well. If you live in the small village of Petit Palais, where most of the victims were from, you will have lost someone you knew. Either as a family member or a friend.
I think as the people grieve and the crash investigators do their work, most of us are desperately trying to look for something good to take out of an otherwise terrible tragedy. All I can ever come up with is that you’ve just got to try and live your lives with happiness. You never know when it’s your turn.
Can I just ask you all to spare a thought for the victims and their families at some point today.
Back to wine tomorrow I promise!
Cheers
Mike
Photo: The Daily Mail