Sunday, October 18, 2009

17 Accidents

These memories are not necessarily in proper order as some are more indelibly stuck into my brain cells then others.
#1 – When 16 years old turning into a parking space I creased the fender of a VW bug.
#2 – At 17 I lied to my dad and told him I needed to drive to a school event – it was a rain filled stormy night and a tree had fallen across the country road. No street lights, my inexperience and driving too fast under conditions along with over steering and braking put me in a deep ditch with the car sitting on its side. Gas dripped out of the gas tank. No fire – bonus!
#3) – at 19 creeping down a hill in the snow with bald tires on the front and new tires on the back; I learned that an automatic transmission allows ones front brakes to be locked up while the rear tires are still turning under power driving the car forward. This accident took the longest of all my accidents. It was a helpless feeling as I slid down the hill crashing into the car at bottom. What made this bad was, yeah my car ended up with a dent in the fender, but my wife to be saw my ineptness in snow driving. D’OH!
#4) – At a stop light with the beginnings of a zit on my nose I was checking it out in the rear view mirror. I looked up to check the light and it turned green, the car in front of me started forward. I let my foot off the brake as I took one last look at the blemish. Yip you guessed it the guy in front of me stopped – the impact used my forehead to break off the mirror from the windshield and now I had a pimple on my nose and a nice crease across my forehead. D’OH!
#5 - #17 will have to wait as this is beginning to bore me. And, if it’s boring me you probably have already left the building – sorry.
Lesson? Of course we have a lesson why wouldn’t we? Here it is - some wisdom for the ages. ‘Only have pimples in your teen years.’

20 comments:

Ashley said...

Oh No! I was hoping for the complete list... :|

#4-ROFL!!!

Psst: You met your future wife at 19? How cool is that? :)
Psst Psst: I hate to be a party pooper but I think somethings not right with the 2nd car in this sentence-
"my car slowly slid into the car at the bottom of the hill"

Waiting for an account of the rest of the accidents by grown up Grayquill! :D
Cheers!

Grayquill said...

Ashley: Actually, I met my wife when I was 13.
Thanks for the help on my sentance structure. It is for sure one of my weaknesses. I changed the wording and I think it is better.
You are the best! I wish more people would do that for me. You are my new best friend!

Debra said...

Well, well, well,GQ...that's a lot of mess ups you got yourself into! I think you got me beat!

Blunt Edges said...

‘Only have pimples in your teen years.’
wonder if a teenager would agree with that statement! ;)

roll out the entire list grayquill!!!

Hilary said...

Methinks you're the only one bored with the list. Patiently awaiting further crashes. Nice to know you're still alive though. :)

Arkansas Patti said...

It is comforting to know there is at least 1700 miles between our roads most traveled. Feeling pretty safe here. I feel like a piker with only 3 notches on my belt.
Looking forward the the rest of your accident stories. So far you have only been a victim of youth.

Sumit said...

I hate to sound like a sadist, but I'm waiting for you to bring on the entire list. B-)

Valerie said...

Heehee I'm amazed you're still here to tell the tale, congratulations Grayquill.

Sylvia K said...

Hey, bring on the rest of the list! You've made my day -- hmmmmmm maybe I'm a sadist, too! And, yes, I'm amazed that you're still here, too -- glad, but amazed! Actually, I guess I'm amazed that so many of us survived those early years.

Have a great week!

Sylvia

Karthik said...

17 accidents??? :O
And you have narrated only 4 as of now? With all those accidents up your sleeve you must be a perfect driver by now. :-)

betty said...

I'm anxiously awaiting the rest of the list, too. You must have been a real menace on the roads. lol Just imagine how you'll be in your dotage!

Pat said...

And teenagers wonder why we worry when they are on the road....because we remember what kind of drivers WE were, and we didn't even have cell phones!!

Grayquill said...

Debra: There is still time to make a comeback. You are only in the third quarter.

Blunt Edges: It doesn’t matter what teenagers think – they are still stupid – so their opinions don’t count.

Hilary: Never even went to the Hospital – well there was that one, where I had to pick up my wife after she was transported on a back board.

Arkansas Patti: Like I told Debra – you still have time to make a sprint for it. I bet you could catch up in one night if you tried.

Sumit: Well if you hate sounding like a sadist, stop wishing for cruel, bad, horrible, no good nasty disheveled things. Sorry that’s the best come back I could come up with on such short notice.

Valerie: I think God gave me an agile guardian angel.

Sylvia: Sylvia, Sylvia, Sylvia…you a sadist? – Please tell me it’s not so.

Karthik: A bit surprised huh? Yes, I am a perfect driver and I am the first to admit it

Betty: In my dotage I can just lose all track and there will no longer be a need for a list.

Pat: I see you have missed many hours of sleep also waiting for those younguns to show up.

troutbirder said...

We at least you survived. Being a teenager is something I would never care to do again!

Grayquill said...

Troutbirder: Those teen years were a bit painful.

Tall Guy said...

Some experience!!

Shanu said...

ROFL...That makes me wanna write abt all the accidents I have had..but they will end up looking tragic rather thn funny :(

riddhiculous said...

Teenagers are not stupid.. teenage is stupid :P
Anyhow, I am sure everyone is waiting for the list of accidents. You have actually given me a topic to write on.. Good. I am sure experiencing all these accidents was painful while writing about them is enjoyable.. or as u put it 'boring'....
And u met your wife at 13.. So Cooll.. looking forward to knw details about how u met and all..
About the post-
I like- 3 and 4

Grayquill said...

The Survivor: Well that’s nice of you to say…I think.

Shanu: I hope not to tragic. I have been fortunate all of mine have been small. Thank you for stopping by.

Riddhi: I think we have to disagree. Teenagers are stupid and yes, I agree teenage is stupid also. I am glad you enjoy other people’s pain :)

Holly Kay said...

I'm with the others--bring that whole list of accidents on. I remember at least one from another entry--I think another car hit your car, causing it to spin around in circles...and it stopped going the right way on the road, in the right lane, AND no coffee spilled. That one was WILD. Let's hear the others.