Unlucky numbers?
Still, what is it about the bridge? As said, my occasional childhood playmate didn’t jump from a bridge, or any other structure. But there is something about the idea of a bridge, not just the Key Bridge but the whole over-arching theme. And there are other strange things that keep coming up. There is the number seven that keeps appearing in so many places in my life these days. The Key Bridge and New River Gorge Bridge were both completed in 1977. The infamous Sunshine Skyway Bridge was finished in 1987 and the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. The second span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened in 1973. The new Key Bridge is supposed to be completed in 2028, but if by chance it is completed ahead of schedule it might open to traffic in 2027… I also believe that the Key Bridge jumper was 37 when he died, and he died in the year 1997. Also, the pier of the Key Bridge that was struck and demolished by the container ship was pier number 17. Worse yet, if the Key Bridge jumper had come from his home on that fateful day he would have entered the bridge from that side. I believe he may have left from home as he called my friend just a couple hours before his final appointment with that metal monster. Cellphones were very uncommon in those days, and his friend never mentioned him having one. While I don’t know for sure, I strongly suspect that pier number 17 was the one he landed upon. Considering that the Key Bridge had no shoulder to pull off on, he would have had to stop in a traffic lane and move quickly to avoid the attention of law enforcement. Therefore, it is most likely he stopped as soon as he got onto the main span, which would have put him right above that pier.
I have no idea what all of that means. In so far as the actual years go, I did experience a life changing event in 1987 (which happened on the 7th of July of that year), but not in 1977 or 1973 and 1937 was way before my time. The number seven is a mystery to me thus far. Especially since I’m seeing it crop up in other places, not just with regards to the bridge thing. The number seven is reputed to bring luck, at least in western culture. But how does that relate to these monuments of death’s construction and all of those that have died? Honestly I should be seeing the number thirteen, but then again, for me, that number is very lucky. But it is all number seven for me these days.