That sound...

Yesterday morning was a good day.  I had gotten a good night's sleep and actually woke up refreshed.  With as hectic as our lives are, waking up refreshed is a little bit like winning the lotto.

I had stopped by Starbucks to spend part of my birthday gift card and head to work.  The lady at Starbucks made me a venti mocha instead of a grande.  It was like I won the lotto a second time that morning.  Extra coffee for free!  You cannot beat that.

Then, as I was stopped at a red light, getting ready to take a sip of my bigger, free coffee I saw it in my rearview mirror.  The silver Camaro going a bit too fast.  The driver didn't realize we were stopped, about a block before the light.  The light had turned green, but traffic hadn't started moving forward.

It's in that split second that you realize what's about to happen and you brace for it.  Then I saw the driver behind me turn his head getting ready for impact.

Then I heard that sound.  The sound of metal crunching other metal.  He rear-ended me.  I'm not sure what it is about that sound, but it sends shivers down my back.  It's the only thing I remember about being hit.  I don't remember being jarred or my soup can flying from the seat.  All I can remember is that sound.  In my case the sound was worse than the damage to my car.  Which is like winning the lotto for the third time. 

What I think is most fascinating about accidents is how people handle them.  Despite the fact that I was in shock and had more adrenaline pumping through my veins than I've had since my first ride on Malibu Madness at California Adventure, I was fine.  I actually felt sorry for the guy.  I've done the exact same thing before.  It sucks and you feel horrible.

He was actually mad.  He apologized and asked if I was okay, but then he was mad.  His car had a few scratches, but not real damage either.  Which was God protecting both of us.  

There was quite a bit of bad about the situation, but I still had about a grande's worth of coffee (the rest was on the dash), wasn't bleeding or really injured, our cars have more cosmetic issues than anything more serious and we both have insurance.  He will probably have higher premiums if that huge dent by his back tire is any indication of how he normally drives.  All that is fixable. 

As we left, he told me he hoped the rest of my day turned out better.  He had a bitterness to his voice.  I told him that I wished the same for him.  I'm not sure where all his anger and bitterness came from.  We're human, we make mistakes.  I just hope that his day today is better.  That he has some joy in it. 

Today, with a slight stiff neck, I'm taking my car in for an estimate.  I feel more of the effects today than I did yesterday, but it's a good day.  Me and my coffee arrived this morning in tact.  God made sure of that.  Just like He did yesterday and He will tomorrow.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get more free coffee. 

A girl can always hope!