This better not be my big thing.

So in my last blog I mentioned I felt I was on the verge of something big. Well, the very next day, also known as yesterday I got in a car accident on my way to work. I was driving to an evaluation on the beltline. I was in the exit lane, which is a very long exit lane to Whitney Way. As I come over the hill I see the exit lane is backed way up, so here we are all cruising along at a lovely 55mph and suddenly need to stop. The car in front of me pulled off to the side to not hit the car in front of it, which likely saved me from hitting the car in front of me. Just as I felt that split second of relief that I had stopped in time. . . crash. I was rear ended with a good amount of force. We both pulled over, police came, our cars were towed, you know the drill. I was pretty calm about it all, figuring what was done was done, there's a reason you have insurance and all would be fine. The man who hit me was a little more shaken up. It was his first accident in his 50 or so years on this earth, and of course it would happen in his brand new 2008 Toyota Camry with only 1000 miles on it. The firemen who stopped by chose to make jokes regarding the Toyota on Toyota attack, but all agreed the fight went to my Corolla. Woo hoo, go Corolla. All the same she is rather beaten up, and I'm sad to say there is a good chance she won't recover. We'll burn that bridge when we get there, and I should know within a day whether or not she's totaled. (I told you I got hit pretty hard!). It looks like the poor Camry may not recover either, so I hope she enjoyed her first 1000 miles. There is a lot of hassle involved with the whole situation, lots of calls to insurance companies and car shops and rental car places, but at the same time taking care of it all gives me a very grown up feeling and pride in my independence. I learned that when the accident isn't your fault that sometimes (I think usually) you get a rental car for free covered by the insurance of the person at fault. I am currently cruising around town in a silver Chevy Cobalt, which actually bears quite a resemblance to my Corolla. I got to make a few friends along the way, including the tow truck driver I went for a ride with and the Enterprise man who picked me up -- I guess those commercials mean what they say. I am a bit sore today, but otherwise everything is just fine.

I did tell Mike, the driver of the Camry, my charming story of a day not unlike yesterday when I was a mere 19 years old and had the exact same situation happen to me, only I was in his shoes. It seemed to make him feel better. It also seems to prove that I simply can't have nice things. I had only had the Cavalier that I totaled in that accident about 6 months, and at the time it was the nicest vehicle I had ever owned. The Corolla is now the nicest vehicle I have ever owned, and that Cavalier would still come in second. Here I've had it just over a year and look what happens. These are not good odds people. Oh well, I'm still taking comfort in that this one -- not my fault, so much so that when I think about the situation I often find myself laughing. Sure it's an inconvenience, but not a major one, and everyone is ok. Still I'm hoping I'm still on the verge of something bigger and more positive.