Catalan chef and writer Maria Nicolau, known for her direct way of speaking and her passionate defense of traditional cuisine, shared an experience this Tuesday that sent shivers down more than one person's spine. Not because of a gastronomic debate or an incendiary tweet, but because of a road incident that could've ended very badly.
According to what she explained herself on her social media, she was nearly crushed to death by a tanker truck that tried to overtake without seeing her. The scare was enormous, but Nicolau recounted the incident with a mix of irony, adrenaline, and a touch of tenderness. "Steel reflexes, Marieta. I've earned two cream puffs."
a moment of pure panic on the C-17
Everything happened on the C-17, one of the main highways in the interior of Catalonia. Nicolau was driving in the left lane when, suddenly, a tanker truck began to overtake, apparently without having seen her. In a matter of seconds, her vehicle was trapped between the giant truck and the concrete median.
"We made a really nice sandwich," she wrote with her usual sarcasm. The car ended up with scratched side mirrors, but luckily, without any major damage. The important thing: she came out unscathed, although her heart was probably racing a mile a minute.
a story more common than it seems
Situations like the one Nicolau experienced aren't uncommon on highways, where truck blind spots and distracted driving can have fatal consequences. According to data from Servei Català de Trànsit, improper overtaking is one of the main causes of serious accidents on highways like the C-17.
Not everyone knows how to react in time. In this case, Nicolau highlighted her steel reflexes, which allowed her to keep steady in her lane, avoid sudden maneuvers, and get through with an (almost) funny story to tell.
cream puffs as a life reward
As the finishing touch to the experience, Maria Nicolau rewarded herself with something much tastier than a scare: two cream puffs. She mentioned them in her tweet as a symbol of survival, comfort, and celebration. In her narrative universe, sweets aren't just desserts: they're acts of personal justice.
That detail also sparked a cascade of comments from followers who shared their own close calls with traffic... and their respective reward desserts. Some mentioned ham baguettes, others butter croissants, and one even confessed that their "I almost died" ritual is always a coffee with milk and a churro.
when life fits in a 280-character thread
With just a few sentences, Maria Nicolau has once again shown why she's a unique, honest, and powerful voice in the Catalan cultural scene. She turned a near-accident into a cinematic scene, a witty confession, and a way to remind us that life can change in a second... and that it's okay to celebrate it with puff pastry and cream.