I like them better when they do not happen to me. But no one means to have an accident; most folks don't run into other folks on purpose. That's why we call them accidents.
The sight was not pretty as swarms of swimmers made their way out to the parking lot when a thunderstorm caused the Water-Park to close down. I know getting wet is the purpose of going to a water-park. Yet cold rain pummeling your face is not all that refreshing. I felt like a wet dog when I crawled inside my Prius. I started to back out of my space and a woman and her children ran out behind my car. I hit my brakes and took a deep breath. Why was the mother in front of her kids? I looked several times before moving. The last thing I wanted was to run over someone. Slowly, I inched out and into the lane to leave the lot.
A car backed out in front of me, and I waited. As it moved along, I followed creeping at about 5 mph. He stopped and so did I. Simultaneously I saw out my side window that another car was backing out; if it didn't stop it was going to hit me broadside. I had no where to go. The car in front of me kept me from speeding forward. Before I could honk, the car crunched my passenger side. My mind raced. Not again. Out of the car came a lady dressed in complete Muslim attire; her head tightly wrapped. I'd seen her and her friends earlier. Three ladies fully clothed and covered, with several children in bathing suits. I wondered if she could speak English. I rolled down the window and she said, "Oh, good. No one is hurt! Didn't you see me backing out?"
My brain went into overdrive. Did she think I was at fault when my car was directly behind her when started she backing out? I said, "Ma'am, you ran into me!" Apologies came as fast and furiously as the rain on my windshield. I said, "I need your name and number." She went beserk. "No, no, no. No one was hurt, your car has no damage." I'm still sitting behind the wheel. Is she kidding me? There's no way my car is not damaged. I got out to look--I felt the impact. All I can say is whatever Toyota makes their doors out of is like rubber. There was a scrape and a small dent. We all know, small dents still cost hundreds to repair. I couldn't tell if something beneath was damaged, so I told the lady I still needed her license and insurance info. She went ballistic again. "No, no, no. I don't have insurance. I leave today. I have no number. I just came to see my friends and say good-bye. You don't want me to go to jail, do you? I told you I am sorry," she pleaded and offered me a hundred dollars.
My mind turned somersaults. Is this lady for real? Doesn't she realize she just hit someone? she doesn't want to give me her name? Suddenly, it dawned on me. She was overwhelmed with fear. Maybe she's afraid her husband will be angry. I didn't know. But it was as if God said, don't worry about it. So I looked at her and said, "Forget about it." She bowed several times and said "thank-you, thank-you". I didn't have the heart to cause her any grief. On the way home I thought, my husband's gonna kill me. He'll think I was nuts to let her go without a name, a license number or anything. Then I thought, no, when I tell him, he'll understand. I figured God will work it all out on my end. After all, accidents happen.
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