I've tried it out, and kinda like it... so here's another moment from the past.
Check out Travis' blog, if you haven't...
I was 16, a new driver. My mom had arranged a river rafting/camping trip. She had gone ahead with some other friends. I was coming with Lela, another high school friend - Kim, and a family friend - Kara (who I love to this day). Kara was probably 24 at the time. She was driving her roommate's car, who was out of town and let her use it. She was bringing us three girls up.
Long back story - shortened to control boredom: I have no idea how I came to be in the driver's seat. I've surely blocked that out. Likely it's because to this day, Kara has a tendency to go to sleep once she gets on a road trip.
We had my mini-boom box (with really cool removable speakers) on the floor of the passenger seat playing 80's tunes on cassettes out of it's tinny speakers. I remember reaching down to change a tape, or change the volume, or something. As I did so, the inexperienced driver that I was, I let the car drift to the right as I reached to my right. The right front tire left pavement and hit gravel shoulder. Inexperienced driver that I was, I over-corrected to keep the car on the road. My over-correction put the car into a spin that stopped when the left rear fender made contact with the cement road divider.
A classic reaction for Lela in an uncomfortable, stress-filled situation - she burst out laughing. And a classic reaction for me in the same situation - I burst out crying. I can't remember what Kim did. Probably screamed.
We looked at the damage, said a lot of swear words, and proceeded to the campground. We pulled in and parked so that the fender was facing away from everyone. Like we thought we were going to hide it. Shaking with nervousness, we couldn't keep it to ourselves and spilled the story.
I'm sure my mom was not happy. After the weekend, Kara and I went home and washed the car hoping it would somehow make the damage look less "damaged". I know Kara's roommate was not happy when we had to go back and tell her. Not happy that I crashed her car, and not happy that I was in the driver's seat of her car. I think Kara and I split the cost of repairs.
Classic, I know. Thank God, there were no other cars on the road at the time. Thank God I didn't roll the car. Thank God no one was injured.
And as with most life experience, time finds humor in many things.
***Ally
Posts
6 comments:
OH wow the first screw up is always the worst. I think I would have smacked her for laughing at that time.. but so glad ya'll were ok..
Remind me to tell the story of how I hit a brick wall.
But yeah, women can't drive.
Right? I mean, doesn't this prove it?
I'm so getting unfollowed for this...
I am still trying to find the humor in my fender bender from 2 weeks ago. Fortunately the other vehicle involved (that would be the parked car I mauled) sustained minimal (if any) damage, while my car is still in the shop almost 2 weeks later. *crickets*
I always try to cover my boo-boo's up too...hehe! It only lasts for so long! And mini-boom boxes rock the house...or car for pete's sake! ;) I have an award for you if you care to have;)
I totaled a car when I was a freshman in college - right after being hit, I remember thinking 'maybe it's not so bad...if I park it just right in front of the house, maybe mom and dad won't ever notice.' And then I got out of the car and realized that most of the windows had shattered and the front end of the car was demolished. 'CRAP!! I'm probably not going to be able to hide that, huh?'
it's a good feeling when you get to the point of finding humor in a story that at the time scared the crap out of you! kinda makes it all worth the pain in the end. :)
Post a Comment