Chance

It snowed overnight. I plowed through the end of the drive this morning and by chance made it out without getting stuck. I knew I'd have to shovel it out when I got home this evening to make it in because the street had not been plowed well and I knew, by chance, the plow would be back to finish the job.
My husband was in Indiana at his family's Christmas. I stayed behind because. By chance, I had to work Saturday. As I drove down the street at 6:20 I saw a light on and rejoiced that my husband had returned from Indiana. Not so, I must have left the light on this morning because the drive was more plowed shut than ever. So I parked the car next to the mailbox, slogged through the snow, donned my hat and my boots, grabbed the shovel, slogged back to the end of the drive, and began shoveling.
I climbed over the pile of ice chunks deposited by your friendly local oh-so-helpful plow guy and on to the street. I attacked the left side when I spotted a car drive in to the street, heading my way. I moved to the right side of the drive as it stopped behind me when all of a sudden BOOM! Down I went, landing on my backside and cracking my right elbow. By chance I had stepped on the underlying ice. I lay there stunned as my husband got out of the car and asked what I was doing laying in the street. I fell, was my muttered answer as he offered a hand to help me up. I declined as I got to my knees explaining that I needed a little time to assess if I'd broken anything. He took the shovel and made quick work of the drive as I got to my feet. He asked if I was okay and I told him I guessed so. I climbed in my car as he climbed in his. I drove around the cul-de-sac as he pulled into the drive. Then I pulled into the drive and parked the car in the garage.
Then it hit me. Had I fallen before he came down the street and around the corner and had I lay there gathering my wits, he would have driven right over my head as he entered the drive. I was in my black coat, laying on the street and he might never have seen me in time. The road was icy and had he seen me at the last minute and slammed on his brakes, he would possibly driven or slid over me anyway.
Chance can be a very scary thing.