By , January 19, 2011 6:57 am

I had just filled up with gas and was heading out of the parking lot to return home when it hit me.  Not some grand epiphany, not a great travel idea, but a small blue car driven by a female in her 20s.  This random act of idiotacy (maybe not so random for said individual in the small blue car) is a $700 dollar moment I will never get back.  Which means $700 out of the travel savings…. ugh.

The woman in the small blue car drove off before I could get her license plate, or even the make of her car.  So I am left standing at the police station, feeling like a naive idiot, telling the police officer that a woman in a small blue car sped off.  I had no details for them.  I honestly never actually considered that someone might do what she did – take off and not accept any responsibility for a mistake just made.  By the time I realized that my naive little bubble had just collapsed, the car was gone.

Dear Woman in the Small Blue Car,

You are scum.  Your selfishness on Monday cost me a small part of my trip.  And I’m angry about that.  I suppose I should thank you though, for reminding me not to always expect people to do the right thing.  I have surrounded myself with good people and almost forgotten who else is out there.  So thanks for the reminder that I need to be diligent when dealing with strangers and that while I will still hope for the best, I will also expect the worst.  This lesson will be very valuable on my trip around the world that I will take while you will probably still be driving the snowy and icy streets of Regina.  I hope the other motorists stay out of your way.

So I’ve actually decided not to let the woman in the blue car ruin any part of my trip.  I will pay my $700 deductible to fix my car since I have no one to claim against, but I will find the same amount to cut from our current living expenses before the trip.  Lesson learned.

our car, post accident

5 Responses to “An Unexpected Expense”

  1. Oh, bummer! Well, just think of it as an early lesson in how things might not always go your way, and may cost you more than you expect while you’re away. Sounds like you have the right attitude…don’t give her the power of affecting your trip or mood! Cheers!

  2. That really sucks. Don’t worry, karma will catch up with her eventually.

  3. Skott and Shawna says:

    Super sorry to hear it…but I have a little visualization trick that might help a wee bit….take a look at the picture above. Where there is frosty white Regina snow, envision sand. Instead of your poor battered Honda, put a sailboat in it’s place. And instead of the extension cord, which in our poor climate is pretty much like a life support line, picture an anchor…..see now that picture doesn’t look so bad, does it?

    PS. What days would work for you to come into the city next week…email us…merlot, cab sauv, or malbec….your choice!! 🙂

  4. Thanks for the comments guys. I was angry at first but am pretty much over it now… who knows what tomorrow will bring, right? I like the visualization trick – it should help me get through these bitter cold winter months.

  5. Lauren says:

    Wow, what a horrible thing to happen, that really sucks… !

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