I am very lucky. They are very lucky. We were both only going about 5 miles per hour. In my blind spot, I merged right into the side of their car.

They, a very nice elderly couple, have a 1978 station wagon. I have a 2007 Ford sedan. Damage to their car? Some paint scratches and a small ding above the front wheel well. My car? Front bumper popped off its moorings, a large ding over the front wheel well, some paint damage. When we connected the guy pulled into driveway and it was that action that pulled my bumper off its pins. But what else could we have done. They want, and will get, $500 as he wants to “drive this car the rest of his life.” This won’t keep his car running but hell. $500 seems a small price to pay to get the humbling experience of realizing that I am indeed not focused on the world in a way that is safe at this time. I will have the money soon enough and they are nice enough to wait. They don’t want insurance companies because of course their car would be considered totalled. They were very cute and very nice, on their way to teach kids at summer camp the joys of science. Retired science teachers. He with Einstein hair, missing two fingers, and wearing a montana t-shirt and she, just as sweet as could be, with her tidy coat, short, red, permed hair and a smile just like my grandma Beebo.

The man whose driveway we pulled into to trade information walked in from his morning walk. I immediately apologized and said we’d be out of his way momentarily. He was very nice about it. A nice smile, I think he was even chuckling to himself. “There goes another one!” was I’m sure what he was thinking. I think we are not the first folks to pull into his driveway. He is the corner house on a very busy intersection.

Tonight I speak with my two mechanics who hopefully will tell me that the panels can be popped back into place and the dent popped out. One phone call just confirmed that this is indeed a possibility. Nothing fell off, nothing broken. My right hand mirror (which I keep forgetting I have and which would have shown them in my blind spot if I had looked there instead of wherever the hell it was that I looked) was totally out of alignment but it was built to swivel in cases like these and I just popped it back into place.

If not, I will call my father the lawyer and find out if I can report this to my insurance company and not involve the other party. Since it was my fault and they want nothing from me officially, I hope that I could deal with them alone. There was no glass, nothing broken, I might get very lucky on this. But I really don’t want to report that I was driving to work.

What a dork! I just realized I had my camera in my purse. I should have taken pictures… *sigh* I guess I’m lucky that everyone was nice.

I have been in several car accidents in this lifetime but never one that was my fault. And never one that was so minor really. So I’m not all that shaken but I find myself with a new resolve to get some relaxation. Everywhere I look right now I run into someone saying that grief makes you very tired. And not all there.

But I really hope my fabulous handy mechanics will take one look and only need a little time… But my friends we will work on manifesting a quick pop pop to resolve this matter and a check for $500.

Ah, stress. It’s good to be alive. But damn, I’m really glad it’s Friday.