Thud...

FYI I wrote this quite a few years ago. Probably 1998 or 1999 back when I was driving my car every day. I hope you get a kick out of it. It was originally for a small newsletter that is no longer published. If you would rather I not post these that is fine, just let me know.

It's quarter to five in the morning. I'm sitting in the left turn lane at the intersection of Rose Garden Lane
and 19th avenue waiting for the light to change. I'll turn left then make a quick right into the parking lot
at work. I go through this same routine almost every day at this time. Thank God it's Friday!"

Thud!

"What the heck is that?" The car had just lurched forward and my head whipped back. I glanced in my
rear view mirror there was now a car really close behind me where just a moment before was the black of
night. The realization sets in, I've been hit. I've driven my car over 40,000 miles since I finished it in
April of 1995 and have yet to have an encounter with another automobile. Now sitting still waiting for a
light to change someone not paying attention runs into the back of me.
I got out of the car to assess the damage. I look into the eyes of the assailant. She stares back very aware
of what she has done. I look at the bumper and see that the normal curve is no longer there, but that
appears to be the extent of it. I know I won't be able to open the deck lid. It's going to hit the newly
reshaped bumper. I stare back at the woman in Ford Escort that hit me as she completes lighting here
cigarette. I'm guessing that that's what she was trying to do when she ran into me. My opinion of
cigarette smokers just dropped to a new low. I looked at her bumper, one of those large plastic 5mph
goodies. I'm beginning to be thankful for 5mph bumpers. "I'm going to let her off the hook, but first I'll
make her sweat a little." I stare at her again shaking my head in disgust.
I got back into my car. The light hadn't changed yet. When the light finally changed and I departed in
truely juvenile fashion; after all I'm still just a kid at heart. I dumped the clutch and lit up the tires,
squirreling kinda sideways through the turn. Then set up for the right turn into the parking lot. "...that
woman that hit me I guess I showed her. Probably thought I was crazy before and is now sure of it!"
If you plan on driving your car stuff like this is bound to happen. "...just not to me ...yeah right!" Well it
did all right! It's fixed now. I went out to Competition Engineering and bought a new bumper for thirty
something. It's on the car and actually looks better than it's predecessor! I did have to put on another
Gene Berg Cruise bumper sticker to make it right. I can only hope not to have another encounter of any
sort for another 40k miles.