Orange Outline

By Courtney Billinger

I was coming home on a Friday night from Bethany College and I was headed to get on interstate.  Before I hit the ramps for the interstate, there was a huge blockade of police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks.  There was a police officer saying there was an accident up ahead and that the highway would be shut down for at least another hour. 

So, I proceeded to turn around and take back roads to get back to Salina for the weekend.  I did not find out till Sunday night when I received a phone call from my mother that a good friend of ours, Brad, had been killed in an accident. I asked her where it was at and she said in between Lindsborg and Bridgeport (town on the other side of the interstate heading east). 

I realized that the accident I had seen was Brad’s accident.  What had happened was Brad had gone into Lindsborg on his motorcycle and on his return trip home, a man with his daughter in the car crossed the center line and hit Brad head on. He was killed right on the spot. The driver was charged with DUI. 

It was a lot for my mom to take in because Brad was her best friend from high school and a huge family friend.  Still to the day, you can see the bright orange outline of where Brad’s motorcycle laid lifeless on the side of the road along with two crosses and some flowers.

Courtney Billinger is a student at Bethany College