A picture of my car
This was taken in March 2009. It's the most recent photo of my car. I think I only take pictures of it to remember good stories, like "rip the roof off your car fun" and "crash your best friend into a guard rail".
The latter's effects are shown above.
I was taking Scott to Spokane to the airport. It was really bad roads over the passes, and I traveled those like a champ. White-knuckled, but very safe. At the end of the passes, right outside of Coeur D'Alene, ID the roads were fine. Wet, but there was no snow or ice.
Until the bridge. And until I needed to change the song on the iPod (which I didn't remember even doing until Scott told me the next day). Apparently, I didn't want to listen to Wake Me Up by Wham! The combination of the icy bridge and my split second glance down to hit the skip song button was all it took. We spun around a couple of times (maybe it was only once, but it felt like we turned A LOT) and headed at an angle for the guard rail. We were going pretty fast and I thought for sure we were going off the edge into the river. I had time to think of the Dukes of Haazard and how NOT cool that would be.
We hit VERY hard and it spun us until we were facing the other direction, in the middle of the road, perpendicular to how we should have been facing. I was shocked we were still alive. Losing control of a fast moving vehicle is wicked scary, and even worse knowing someone else is affected by it.
Scott spent the next several minutes trying to get me to pull over to the side of the road since cars were starting to come (complete miracle that no cars were around until then). I kept saying "no, I don't want to drive anymore". I was DONE.
Long story, even longer. I made it to the side of the road and out of the way. The damage was minimal (the airbags didn't even go off, though I was scared they might as a delayed reaction) but the bumper was impacting the tire. And we had another several miles to go, plus the drive home. So he got out one of his shirts and tied the bumper to a more secure place.
I got him to the airport, I don't remember a minute of it. He flew through and made it just before the door closed on his flight.
I went to a place to have them help...at least make sure my airbag wouldn't go off and remove the piece of bumper that no amount of securing would help anymore.
Sears by the mall in Spokane was open and I made it there. And then I just wept. They guys were so nice. They tested the airbag and removed the bumper. They checked the tires and gave me the thumbs up to make it home, the rest was just cosmetic damage. And didn't charge me a dime. Being on the receiving end of random acts of kindness is just amazing.
It happened to be girls weekend in Spokane and I got ahold of Vanessa to ride back with me. Thank goodness for great friends!
I am so grateful that we weren't hurt (except a few aches and pains the next day from being so tense and hitting that rail so hard) and both of us had safe travels home. Funny thing...he hasn't been here to visit since. Hmmm. I wonder why. LOL
And I'm even more grateful for Scott. He's a walking angel here on earth and I appreciate him so much. He's my "tell it like it is" friend. He is so talented, giving and honest. I just pray everyone has a friend like him in their lives.
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