Tip of the Day: If you watch GREMLINS on Blu-Ray, it's not any better than it was 25 years ago in non-high-def -- but I still groove to that theme song!
As I navigate the snowy winter weather of western NY in my Corolla, complete with studded snow tires, I am reminded of my first driving accident as a teen. Let me set the stage:
I'm a Page at the small town library where my mother also works, and at 5PM when the library closes, I wait in my car for her to close up so I can drive us both home.
*Note the hotness of my 1980s Ford Tempo.
**OK, so I borrowed this pic from http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Ford-Tempo, and my car was white with a black bottom, but you get the idea. HOT.
While waiting for Mom, I notice a small group of people standing in the middle of the parking lot sort of to the left of my car. At the same time, I get the great idea to turn my car around and pull up right next to the library door so Mom can hop right into the car. I'm a good daughter, right?
I put my car in reverse, keeping my eye on the people to make sure I don't mow them down with my vehicle....CRUNCH.
Oh wait, one of the people standing nearby had parked their TRUCK BEHIND ME? Um, ooops...guess I forgot to look there....
Mom and the owner of the truck made it to my Tempo at about the same time. And can I just say I can't remember a time I've felt like a bigger idiot? (Remind me of this if I claim to feel uber dumb in the future.)
The truck's bumper pad had a lame little scratch on it. But my Tempo lost some rear lights and gained a crinkled rear bumper. And the truck owner charged me like $80 for a new bumper. When you're making $5 an hour, man that SUCKS.
But let me tell you, I haven't backed into a vehicle since!
Ah yes, these are the perfect moments to channel in order to torture the characters in my books....
Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing
4 comments:
A friend of mine's daughter, in her first week of solo driving, managed to back over a gas pump at the gas station! (In a small car a lot like your Toyota, not a giant pick-up truck!) The whole area had to be roped off with yellow tape and wasn't fixed for ages. Boy was she grounded!
Susanna, that is hilarious! Love that every time she passed by she was reminded of the accident. :-p
Oh man, I got hit by a cement truck while I was driving my Mom's car and nobody believed me! I was just sitting at a red light, but who believes the teenager over the professional driver? NOBODY.
Wow, why don't I remember this?? I remember us getting hit by some old people on the way to the Rusted Root concert. Who was driving then?
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