A Cat With (Maybe) A Handful of "Lives" left

My favorite, loving girlfriend from 2010 - 2014 nicknamed me "Cheetah".  I loved it ever since then, even allergic to felines you may have around the house.
I was on my way to meet neighbors to celebrate my birthday milestone when...an errant, careless driver disobeyed my right of way and horn warning to powerfully plow into my car, totaling it. 
I lost a college friend back in 1974 to a traffic accident on his prom night - he was able to get out of the wreck to ask if others were okay...only to collapse and die.  It could have been me this time.
​ The group Machine had a big disco hit on RCA Records that applies: "There, But For The Grace Of God, There Go I".