This Was Nothing
It had to happen sooner or later. I was hoping for later, but that's in the past now. Casey was picking up Charlie from wrestling last night, around 9 p.m., and had a bit of trouble parking. But, God bless him, he kept trying. Over and over again.
Trying to pull into a parking spot, that apparently wasn't meant for him, he misjudged the distance and had a pretty decent collision with a SUV's bumper. Casey drives an `88 Chevy Caprice...a boat of a car. No one was in the SUV. Casey, for whatever reason his reasonably new drivers mind was telling him, kept pulling in to the spot, scratching the entire side of the SUV with his passenger side mirror. Of course he's practically sitting on top of the SUV, he knows he's hit it and scratched it, and yet he backs up. Taking more of the SUV's paint with the mirror...again. Okay, I remember being 16 and driving. Things get confused easily, especially when you're a bit panicked. Wait, that was last night for me...never mind.
Anyway, as luck would have it, the SUV belonged to Gino (the man running the wrestling clinic that Charlie was attending). Gino owns Performance Course Training, which Casey attends every summer for football. So, Casey and he are familiar with each other. Casey and Charlie said that Gino was very understanding and told Casey that accidents happen. I have a whole new respect for Gino, he handled it very well with Casey. Thanks Gino.
Casey and Gino exchanged all the required information. Charlie calls me and when I answer the phone he yells "Mom, Casey had an accident. He hit a car like 12 times! I'm not kidding Mom." Remember the panic and confusion statement earlier? Insert here. I had all the typical questions 'is he okay', 'was anyone hurt'...see, he failed to tell me it was a parking accident. I tell them to stay put and I'm on my way. Casey gets on the phone and tells me it's all being taken care of, he can and is handling it. That sound you hear is me laughing...like anything could have kept me from getting there like a bat outta hell. Of course, by the time I get there (8 minutes later) it's over, Casey and Charlie are the only two left in the lot and there isn't any sign of damage to the big comfy couch that Casey drives. Mom wasn't needed.
Now I'm waiting to find out about the insurance repercussions. Casey is an honor roll student, which gives us a $$ break on our insurance. He took the state accepted driving classes which also gives us a break on our insurance. Yet still our insurance went up about $100 a month for a 16 year old, male driver.
Casey was upset. I feel like it was my fault for asking him if he wanted to pick Charlie up. It's just 2 miles from our house, and Casey drives quite a bit at night. His drivers training classes were evening classes. But still...I should have gone. One of lifes 'woulda, coulda, shoulda's'. After we got home last night, I made sure Casey knew I wasn't mad. We talked about his not stopping when he first hit the bumper...but other than that, he's a kid and he felt bad enough. Talk to any parent that's had a kid in a bad accident, this was nothing.
Trying to pull into a parking spot, that apparently wasn't meant for him, he misjudged the distance and had a pretty decent collision with a SUV's bumper. Casey drives an `88 Chevy Caprice...a boat of a car. No one was in the SUV. Casey, for whatever reason his reasonably new drivers mind was telling him, kept pulling in to the spot, scratching the entire side of the SUV with his passenger side mirror. Of course he's practically sitting on top of the SUV, he knows he's hit it and scratched it, and yet he backs up. Taking more of the SUV's paint with the mirror...again. Okay, I remember being 16 and driving. Things get confused easily, especially when you're a bit panicked. Wait, that was last night for me...never mind.
Anyway, as luck would have it, the SUV belonged to Gino (the man running the wrestling clinic that Charlie was attending). Gino owns Performance Course Training, which Casey attends every summer for football. So, Casey and he are familiar with each other. Casey and Charlie said that Gino was very understanding and told Casey that accidents happen. I have a whole new respect for Gino, he handled it very well with Casey. Thanks Gino.
Casey and Gino exchanged all the required information. Charlie calls me and when I answer the phone he yells "Mom, Casey had an accident. He hit a car like 12 times! I'm not kidding Mom." Remember the panic and confusion statement earlier? Insert here. I had all the typical questions 'is he okay', 'was anyone hurt'...see, he failed to tell me it was a parking accident. I tell them to stay put and I'm on my way. Casey gets on the phone and tells me it's all being taken care of, he can and is handling it. That sound you hear is me laughing...like anything could have kept me from getting there like a bat outta hell. Of course, by the time I get there (8 minutes later) it's over, Casey and Charlie are the only two left in the lot and there isn't any sign of damage to the big comfy couch that Casey drives. Mom wasn't needed.
Now I'm waiting to find out about the insurance repercussions. Casey is an honor roll student, which gives us a $$ break on our insurance. He took the state accepted driving classes which also gives us a break on our insurance. Yet still our insurance went up about $100 a month for a 16 year old, male driver.
Casey was upset. I feel like it was my fault for asking him if he wanted to pick Charlie up. It's just 2 miles from our house, and Casey drives quite a bit at night. His drivers training classes were evening classes. But still...I should have gone. One of lifes 'woulda, coulda, shoulda's'. After we got home last night, I made sure Casey knew I wasn't mad. We talked about his not stopping when he first hit the bumper...but other than that, he's a kid and he felt bad enough. Talk to any parent that's had a kid in a bad accident, this was nothing.
posted by kathi | 7:04 AM
10 Comments:
Im glad he is okay, that as you know is always the important thing. Im sure the "hit the car 12 times" thing took you over the edge. I think you handled it tens better than I ever wouldve--No, Im not kidding.
Wow, praise from blackops...made my day. Thanks babe.
I'm glad he's ok.
chrissie ~ thanks...and I did flip (just didn't let it show, but believe me...I'm still flipping)
Ddot ~ thanks, appreciate it.
heather ~ Girl, I've totaled 5 cars (in my 20's). Between the 2 of us, we've destroyed 8 cars...how sad is that? Let's hope he doesn't follow either of our examples!
Aw, everyone makes mistakes...the only thing you can do is learn from them.
Glad he's ok...hope the insurance doesn't fly throw the roof...that would just suck and make him feel even worse. Good thing he knew the owner of the SUV..that could have been so much worse. I too think you handled it rather nicely. I would have have been one crazy lady...hehehe
Awe, it happens, especially for new drivers. You're lucky you didn't have a child like I was--- I had my mother's car at the age of 17 -- was at a BAR---- and I backed up INTO THE BAR----no lie. I didn't hit a car or a pole, I hit the damn building!
It happens, but at least it was an innocent, non-alcohol related incident!
Glad he's ok!
deb ~ How did I not already know this about you? lol, I didn't total my first car till I was 20... And I'm guessing, that building jumped in your way, stupid bar.
"He hit the car like 12 times!"
THAT is funny! I mean, I know it isn't, but it is.
tracie ~ awwwww, thanks darlin. I'm lucky to have them.
steve ~ yup, it is funny, I can see the humor in it...now.
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