The Perfect Prang

Thursday 7 January 2010

I had my first bingle in twenty years today. Well, it was more of a scrape, truth be told, but it was distressing nonetheless.

I was running a few minutes late for a book reading in Forrest when a small accident occured at an intersection ahead. Queued behind the two bingled cars, I strategised manoeuvering around them in my big 4WD (yes, one of those ones that can climb gutters and leave little rollerskates in its wake).

As I inched forward to pass the teensy blue car in front of me, I (alas) totally misjudged the distance on my left and a horrid, plasticky crunching sound soon told me just how much misjudgment I had made.

The lady in the little blue car pulled up alongside me and stared at me in disbelief whilst mouthing something along the lines of "what the...?" I totally don't blame her. All my fault. Impatient, reckless, just-have-to-be-perfectly-on-time-no-matter-who-gets-crumpled-by-my-car old Me.

I've received my big lesson for 2010 (and it's only the 7th day). And that is - SLOW DOWN.

Thankfully, the gods of the new decade put a virtual saintly lady in that little blue car, who most graciously settled for a business card and a scribbled license number before I took off for my reading.

It's now 7pm and I've had the pleasure of texting, emailing and chatting to Jill (the scrape-ee) on the phone and I can honestly say, if you're going to have a car prang, have it with someone like Jill. Not only has she been gracious and kind about this totally inconvenient scrape, she has also made me smile, giggle and even belly laugh over the pure comedy of her resultant day today (in which she also received a parking fine and sent off the finalisation papers for her divorce).

So, thank you Jill, for reinstating my faith in inherent good nature. You have it in abundance. Here's to a perfect Friday.

3 comments:

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Oh darling, noooooo . . . now i feel super guilty that you emailed me this morning, ending with "must fly, have a book reading to go to" so i'll take heed of your rather IN YOUR FACE message of 2010 to slow down indeed. Your poor cars.
See, as a fellow curb mounter to get around accidents (Majura Road anyone??) my children squeal in delight & chant "get out of my way nature".
I had a clear run to go shopping in Civic today, lovely morning with my eldest & had the delight of driving home via EPIC to spy on the Summer Nats. I don't think they would take so kindly to your bumper scratching their cars, feral utes or highly polished hot wheels. Jill clearly had a bigger day than you, wow, she must be aces to laugh that off. Love Posie

Dani and Nick said...

Oh Honey.....is there anything worse? (well yes of course there is, but this still sucks!). I konw if it was me more damage would have been done to my pride than the car. If there are smug looks from MM, you have permission to smack him! :)

Anonymous said...

crunch-ity crunch crunch crunch! (ouch) tb

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