The Great Wall of China21. The Aftermath

Asking doctors and nurses about Amy got me nowhere since she was treated at a different hospital. Lily filled me in during our phone call. When Amy was released from her hospital, she went home. I knew about her broken arm. I saw it sticking out of her. But Lily told me that she also broke the other arm and a leg. Getting back to Hong Kong with a broken leg and two broken arms was difficult enough. Trying to find me and then somehow making her way to my hospital before the grueling trip home would have been unrealistic. She correctly assumed that back home, our friends could do far more to find me than she ever could on her own.

Amy's Hong Kong doctor expected her to fully recover, but she had casts on her leg and arms. She had to use a wheelchair for two months, which is extremely difficult in a city like Hong Kong, made worse by the fact that she could not push it herself. Even when crutches would have ordinarily been an option, she had to use the wheelchair because of her left arm. She had to rely on others to do more for her than I want to think about. Fortunately, her family is in Hong Kong. Chinese drivers don't give a shit about anyone else while they are driving, but Chinese families take care of each other, no matter what.

Amy's first cast was removed in mid-October, about five weeks after the accident. Her right arm took the least of the damage and once the cast was off, it was as good as new. The cast on her leg came off in early November. Her leg was weak, but she could finally walk again. On paper, Hong Kong is wheelchair accessible, but public transportation is almost impossible without assistance. Shopping malls and major tourist sights have ramps and elevators, but the streets and sidewalks are death traps if you need a wheelchair. Some streets can only be crossed by tunnel, and the steps going in and out are precarious even for the most able bodied. Some sidewalks have wheelchair ramps on the curb, but people will park in front of them.

Amy's left arm cast was removed nine weeks after they put it on. It was not as good as new, but she can move it and her doctor expects to see improvement over the next few weeks.

Lily also told me about the other people in the accident. The scooter driver was killed, but I already knew that. I was looking into his eyes when I ran over him. I will never forget that. The truck driver had a minor fracture in his hand. I know what a pain that can be. I broke some tiny bones in my right hand a few years ago. It is not at all life threatening, but only using one hand for a few weeks is terribly inconvenient. We have two for a reason.

The truck driver would have been released from the hospital on the day of the accident, but he was arrested. Technically, the scooter driver caused the accident by running the red light. He set everything in motion. But the truck driver made it a million times worse. Also, the scooter driver was dead, so the police needed someone else to blame. They probably thought about blaming me since I hit the scooter, but the truck caused every inch of damage. And arresting a hospitalized foreigner might require more paperwork.

I have no idea what happened to the truck driver after the police got involved. If he was charged with manslaughter, he may have already been executed. Chinese jurisprudence is neither slow nor cautious. Since he is/was a truck driver, we can assume that he is not rich enough to get out of it. I would love to speak with him, if he is still alive, but no one will give me any information.

Red zone?
Crosswalk?
Wheelchair ramp?
Big sign that clearly reads "NO PARKING"?
No problem.