The day I almost killed a little boy

This morning I was on the BBC news web site and happened on a true story entitled The day I accidentally killed a little boy.  I read it all and cried. Because of what that woman suffered and my being able to identify at least in part.

Long ago when I worked in London I was part of a car pool and one morning I was driving my friend and myself to work. I was in a built up area, cars parked tight either side, I was thankfully within the speed limit. A boy darted out between two parked cars on my right. I slammed on the brakes but even so could not avoid hitting him and he was thrown across the road. There was the mother, the police, the ambulance, a lot of hanging around until we learned the verdict - a few bruises and that was all. The relief! But I was still in shock. At what might have happened. It was not my fault any more than it was the fault of the woman in that story.

Alas, how easily things go wrong

A sigh too much or a kiss too long

And there follows a mist and weeping rain

And life is never the same again.