When I was in high school I drove a 1974 Impala for a while. I bought it with about 60,000 miles on it in 1998 for $1,500. Some little old lady drove to to the store and to b-i-n-g-o for 24 years.
She was a beauty.
A humongous beauty.
A really humongous, hard-to-steer beauty.
My previous car had been a Ford Escort. A really small, easy to steer car.
I was pulling into the grocery store in the Impala one day, and was about to pull into a parking spot when *SMASH*… something like this happened:
I was driving the wrong way through the parking lot, tried to hook into a spot in the Impala, and smashed right into a parked car.
It was the middle of the day so there were all sorts of people who heard and saw it.
I got out of my car, made eye contact with at least five of the witnesses, checked out the damage, dropped my head in disappointment, and went back to my car to get some paper. I walked back to the car, knowing I was being watched, and began to write. I knew they were all thinking I was writing my insurance information, but I didn’t have insurance. So I wrote him a note.
“I hit your car. It sucks to be you…”
I put it under his windshield wiper, got back in my car and went home. I wish I was kidding with you…
Bring on the hate mail.
Last week this same sort of thing happened at Calvary. A student came to our Wednesday night gathering and came out to a smashed car. Someone had done exactly what I did… and they didn’t leave a note.
So on Sunday I asked our high school ministry to chip in so we could help pay for the damages. We raised over $300 to help Peter so he doesn’t have to work all summer to pay off someone else’s mistake.
And I felt a little bit of redemption from my own wickedness. A little bit 😉
I’m the reason Catholics invented Purgatory… I should probably have to suffer a little bit when I die for doing stuff like this.
Have you ever hit a parked car or anything else similar?
Have you ever ruined someone else’s property and left a note that says “It sucks to be you“, or am I all alone in my wickedness?
ryanguard.net 
Reminds me of this picture I saw on failblog.
http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/fail-owned-accident-note-fail.jpg?w=375&h=500
I’ve hit a few things in my life time. I’ve never had to leave a note though since someone was either in the car or came out right away. The first day driving on my own, at 16 years old, I ran in to the back of a car while we were both waiting to exit a parking lot. We both got out and it was minor damage. He said he didn’t want any cops, got in his car and left. I was relieved beyond belief since my dad would have killed me. My dad thought the damage to my grill must have been done between the time we bought the car and when we picked it up. I never let on any different. We have all done things when we were younger we are ashamed of. Thank God he is a God of forgiveness. That is awesome what you did for the kid in your service.
By the way, it was nice meeting you and Lindsey today. I was standing there looking for some guys I met at Man Camp and I prayed God would allow me to see someone I knew. I turned around and you were coming up the stairs and it’s almost like I know you so I thought I would introduce myself and my wife. Sorry if it was awkward.
Have a safe trip to Arizona and a great week.
When I was in high school I dated a girl I worked with. After a couple months, I realized I wasn’t as committed to the relationship as she was… so I broke up with her. Tears were shed. It was awkward. I felt bad.
Two days later, after I finished my shift at the Arby’s we worked at, I backed into her car. Caved in the driver’s side door.
I must have sat there for 1/2 an hour contemplating what to do. Nobody saw it. I probably would’ve gotten away with it. But I relented and went back in a told her. I don’t think she spoke to me again. Even doing the right thing feels pretty bad some times.
Misael that’s hilarious!!! And sad.
Wayne it was great to meet you too (not awkward at all!). Thanks for saying hey when you saw us.
Ryan that story is awesome. I love that it all went down at an Arby’s too.
Ryan – Just wanted to say “sweet ride.” Did you have the vinyl top too?