I Wrecked The #!*^%'n Car!

By Bill Craig
A couple of weeks ago, I was taking our trash to a place called a "convenience center" where people here in Carroll County can take their garbage and dump it into one of those big green dumpsters? About a mile and a half away from home and in the past, I had made that trip many times.

I stopped at an intersection and was preparing to pull into a major highway when I saw a car heading my way.

I still don't know exactly what happened to me, but I pulled out into the path of that car and caused a 3 car accident in which Dondra's car and the oncoming driver's were totalled. Luckily no one was hurt and I was charged with failure to yield. A van travelling in the other direction was clipped on the rear end by the car I had hit, so in essence I was the cause of that 3 car accident. Dondra was at her hairdresser's at the time and luckily the deployment of the airbags saved me from a head injury. All I needed, right?

So we decided then and there that no matter what, my driving days are over, as are my scooter-riding days.

We are in a rental while we wait for the insurance check and D can get buy herself another vehicle, and I'm causing her a lot of grief and a case of " you're getting on my last nerve, Bill!!!", by chattering away in the passenger seat and criticizing her driving ad nauseam.

Everyone's trying to make me feel better by saying stuff like "a car is easy to replace, but you aren't, Bill," but I have nightmares about the accident and wake up shaking like a leaf and I hope this will go away soon. When I think that I could have killed someone, it strengthens my resolve to never get behind a wheel again.

I have been known to become disoriented, and more than one friend has told me I was "geographically challenged", and I shouldn't worry about it ha-ha. Little did I know back then I was already displaying symptoms of dementia.

Suzette, my counsellor, thinks it is a wise decision to stop driving even though my license is still active. I'm just going to let it lapse.

The Alzheimer's Forum is coming up this weekend and D and I will be in Washington D.C., where my old college professor Newt Gingrich, (who just announced he's running for president) will be the guest speaker.

I will write up my impressions of it here when I return.

Thanks

Bill

Comments

Margaret said…
Hi Bill, I posted on your thread at SDMB, and that reminded me that I hadn't checked your blog in a while. Renovations were going on around here, and my mind was absorbed by all the stuff.

I hate renovations, I hate the upheaval they cause, I usually (secretly) even think the results aren't worth the trouble and cost.

Anyhow, if you really feel your driving days are over, go with the feeling, but you have to STOP giving your private chauffeur grief!!! Just shut your eyes when you're in the car and are tempted to criticize (that's what I do when my husband drives, yet he has always reached the destination safely, eventually, without harm). It's hard to do that when you've driven everywhere you wanted to go all your adult life, I can only imagine, but making D. nervous when she's the one driving... not a good idea.
Hugs to you both,
M
May 12, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Bill Craig said…
Yeah, M, that's occurred to me as well and that's why I'm going to start carrying the Kindle and read while she drives. She does just fine driving by herself and that's the way we'll handle it from now on. :)

Thanks

B~
May 12, 2011 at 3:48 PM
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