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I was parked, and in the store getting groceries and my (increasingly long list of) prescriptions. You probably know the drill. I carried the bags out to my new Nissan Altima, opened the driver door, and heard a voice behind me say "Sir - I hit your car".
Looked back and saw a teenage guy, pale as a ghost, standing next to a 2002 Jeep Bronco.
Walked up to him, and saw he was actually shaking he was so scared. Said he had just called his Dad (cell phone), because he didn't really know what to do. He had bashed into the rear panel of my car, scuffing some paint, and pushing it slightly out of place.
Long story short, I traded insurance and ID info with the young man (19 years old), and with his Dad when he arrived a few minutes later. But more important, I really praised and thanked the kid for his honesty. His dad told me he had always taught his son to be honest and "do the right thing". I turned toward the kid and said "you taught him well - and you should be proud of him".
We shook hands, and to lighten the mood, I then told them both of the time in 1971 (yes, we had cars back then ...) when I was stopped at a traffic light, and a ditzy teeny-bopper bashed her pickup into my rear bumper (on my brand new Plymouth Duster). She then did it two more times within 30 seconds. At least she was consistent. I turned off my engine and walked back to her. She looked at me, giggled, and said "it happens all the time - i'm so sorry".
Dingbat. She's probably serving her fifth term in Congress now.
Anyway, no great damage. The other guy's insurance should cover everything. Main idea was to praise the kid for staying there, when he could just as easily have driven off, since I wasn't in my car at the time. Just proves there are a few good kids left.
I have no idea how to tell what "damage" was caused, as the big panel is plastic and I don't know what's under it.
Onward through the fog.
Tom
Looked back and saw a teenage guy, pale as a ghost, standing next to a 2002 Jeep Bronco.
Walked up to him, and saw he was actually shaking he was so scared. Said he had just called his Dad (cell phone), because he didn't really know what to do. He had bashed into the rear panel of my car, scuffing some paint, and pushing it slightly out of place.
Long story short, I traded insurance and ID info with the young man (19 years old), and with his Dad when he arrived a few minutes later. But more important, I really praised and thanked the kid for his honesty. His dad told me he had always taught his son to be honest and "do the right thing". I turned toward the kid and said "you taught him well - and you should be proud of him".
We shook hands, and to lighten the mood, I then told them both of the time in 1971 (yes, we had cars back then ...) when I was stopped at a traffic light, and a ditzy teeny-bopper bashed her pickup into my rear bumper (on my brand new Plymouth Duster). She then did it two more times within 30 seconds. At least she was consistent. I turned off my engine and walked back to her. She looked at me, giggled, and said "it happens all the time - i'm so sorry".
Dingbat. She's probably serving her fifth term in Congress now.
Anyway, no great damage. The other guy's insurance should cover everything. Main idea was to praise the kid for staying there, when he could just as easily have driven off, since I wasn't in my car at the time. Just proves there are a few good kids left.
I have no idea how to tell what "damage" was caused, as the big panel is plastic and I don't know what's under it.
Onward through the fog.
Tom
