Mar 22, 2008

the death of bertha

I didn't feel up to posting about this until now. Maybe even now I'm not sure about it, but what the hell....

Last night, right after the crawfish boil rehearsal dinner, on our way home, Velinda and I were nearly killed.

We were violently hit on the side by a car who sped through a stop sign.

Thank God, that I saw a flash of light rushing toward us a second ahead of time, and was able to accelerate, so that he hit the rear side of my car, rather than the side. Or we would have surely been killed. We really would have been.

As it was, my car was spun violently around, 360 or more degrees and came to land on a fire hydrant, breaking a stop sign. My trunk was nearly knocked off completely. Everything in it was strewn from one part of the neighborhood to the next. There were tortilla chips and cheese (to be returned from the school fund raiser) everywhere, as well as paper and pieces of my car.

It's completely totalled, as was his car. Well, it was not "his" car at all, actually, but rather his step sister's car.

He was an 18 year old on a joy ride. He had taken the car off without her knowledge.

Soon the whole family was there, as were tens of neighbors. And soon guns were threatened to be pulled, in the drama that unfolded. It was really terrifying there.
I'm not joking when I say that we feared for our lives.

All in all the police were called 7 times. Two and a half hours later, after sitting in the darkness of a very sketchy area, they arrived.
Two and a half hours!

They'd been delayed by two robberies a few blocks away, a shooting and a suicide, all in the neighborhood.

Today I spent all day getting a rental car. I'm not sure what's going to happen now. The other parties admitted their guilt to the police and insurance agencies, so that's good, and the sister (owner of the car) has been nothing but kind. Turns out she's a graduate of my school. (small city)
I feel sorry for her actually, since she's having to cover for her step brother's irresponsibility, but she doesn't want him to go to jail. The family was completely crazy, threatening to kill the boy. She had to step in to protect him. It was unreal.

This morning on the phone with her she was in tears with me again. I'm trying to counsel her. Thank God for Velinda being there with me. She's a bit bruised up, and I'm a bit knocked about too, but we're safe, and that's all that matters.

I tell you, I have the worst luck with these cars. The battleship of a car I've long had is dead. Her iron sides have saved me more than once, actually.
I'm not sure what will happen now. I doubt I'll get much money from her insurance. Bertha was kind of old, and I certainly don't have the money for anything new, but I guess I'll worry about that later.

22 comments:

LadrĂ³n de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Ouch. Sorry to hear, but glad you survived!

Thombeau said...

Oh, honey, I'm so glad you're OK!

In 1979, I was involved in an accident in which my car was totalled. I never bought another one.

The good news, should you choose to see it that way, is that whenever one survives a "brush with death", it's further proof that there is a reason why they are still here. And if one doesn't know what exactly that reason is, then the reason is to find out!

A BIG HUG to you, Jason...

jason said...

thanks, JT and Thom.
I really am genuinely grateful to be alive today.

joe*to*hell said...

holy crap......your memories are so vivid...usually people dont remember a thing, even though they are conscious.

damn jason...glad you are ok...and you werent alone....

guess your pussy has more lives..... phew

JB said...

Ack! Glad you are okay. Accidents suck, no two ways about it!

Silly Monkey said...

OMG, how scary! Who was threatening to pull guns on whom? I'm so glad that Velinda was there and that you're both okay, for the most part. Are either of you sore or anything today?

There has to be some way to fight with their insurance company...or, I can't believe I'd even suggest this, sue them for just enough to cover the cost of a new car. What are your other options?

Dave said...

Been in an accident? Call J.G. Wentworth. Then throw open your window and yell "It's my money, and I need it NOW!"

No, seriously, please don't do that. I'm glad you're both okay.

Stuart said...

So glad you both are ok.

Big hug

Breezy said...

I'm glad to hear you're OK. Sorry about Bertha.

Michael said...

Thank goodness you and Velinda are ok. Sorry to hear about Bertha's passing.

Frontier Psychiatrist said...

Wow. Glad you're okay.

janey jay said...

Oh my stars -- what a scary tale (especially the accident aftermath part), but so glad you are able to tell it.

Angel with a crooked halo said...

Yikes that sucks! Glad you are alright though!

ayeM8y said...

It’s wondrous that you are safe and uninjured but I’m so sorry to hear this news after your car had that hit and run last year. I too have had a near fatal accident and hope that it only occurs once in a lifetime, exempting me for the remainder.

Michael Guy said...

HOLY SHIT! I am so glad you are okay. But you could still have some internal bruising..days later...so just check yourself closely the next few days.

Good Christ! Just another reminder of how one's life can change in an instant. Take care, my friend.

~hug~

mrpeenee said...

sweetie, I'm as glad as everybody else that you're okay, or as okay as you can be after getting blammed around in a wreck and now being forced to deal with the aftermath.

I'm praying to Our Lady of Prompt Succor even as we speak.

Miss Janey said...

Miss J must say she understands the family's urge to put the hurt on the nimrod step-brother... So glad you and Velinda are OK and that the nimrod's family gained composure. What a nightmare.

Paul said...

I hope you all are ok and resting and recovering.

My adventures said...

lawd have mercy!!

Christopher said...

So glad to hear that you're (both) ok!

Elizabeth said...

Oh, honey, what a thing to happen. So glad you're "OK." which is to say, not hospitalized with grave injuries... but there's still some trauma you're recovering from, physical and psychological. Anyway, take care. xoxo

Marshall said...

I'm way behind in my blog reading. What a traumatic experience! You were so smart to accelerate your car as much as you could.