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Tangling and tingling
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 11:44AM Life is complicated. Then they pile on the holidays.
That which is tangled remains tangled but we add a certain tingle.
Andrew, before leaving for the middle east late last spring, sold his snazzy black Honda Accord. He didn't want it to sit undriven for four-plus months at the base, and he didn't want to make payments on a car someone else was driving.
Since he possesses an innate ability to locate a good used car deal in a blizzard, while blindfolded, acquiring an auto is never an issue.
(My "new" car, purchased on the last day of August this year? Andrew found it online for me while lying on his bunk in Qatar. It gave him a temporary diversion that did not involve counting sand grains.)
(All I had to do was text him a description of what I wanted. The whole thing -- from my first look at a picture of the subject vehicle, to my nestling it lovingly in our garage -- took less than twenty-four hours.)
All that to say this: When he arrived back in the States in October, job one for the son and heir was to buy a car. It took him a few minutes but he ended up paying cash for a used Jeep.
Great for hauling the trailer with which he transports his big kayak. Andrew loves to get out on the river to fish and to explore and to enjoy nature, and for obvious reasons you can't do that in Qatar.
East Tennessee is way better in more ways than one. Also Rambo totally dug the Jeep.
But alas, while Andrew was in Columbia for Thanksgiving, being, after all, used, his Jeep broke down. It's a risk you take. He drove our second (old) car home to Knoxville for a week while his ride was in for repairs.
On Monday this week he was back to pick up his Jeep, which he declared drove like it was brand new. Happy.
Until twenty-eight hours later -- that would be last night -- when a lady prepared to make a left turn in front of him on I'll Kill Ya Alcoa Highway in Knoxville, not a mile from Andrew's home, then miscalculated.
As in, she (unwisely) went for it, but failed to employ her car's accelerator with sufficient alacrity to clear two lanes of oncoming traffic.
Andrew was unable to avoid hitting the lolligagging driver's car. He swerved to the right but struck her passenger side rear door with his left front wheel.
He is intact and uninjured but there is a rumor afoot that his Jeep may be totaled.
Adding outrageous insult to emotional injury, the woman driver with poor spatial judgment exited her vehicle and accused Andrew of speeding up in order to hit her.
Like anyone does that. I suppose this is how such a split-second thought process on my son's part would work:
Oh look! A car making a left turn directly into my lane of travel! There's probably time for it to complete the maneuver but I've got the right of way so I think I'll just gun it for that baby! What fun! I hope I can T-Bone it! Yay, wouldn't that be fantastic! Who cares if I total my just-out-of-the-shop Jeep because after all I've had it for two whole months! Also I'm leaving for a thirty-four-day deployment to Guam in the morning and I won't be needing it! And it's Christmas! Merry Christmas, everybody! Merry Christmas, you old Building and Loan!
Seriously. Making sense of anything these days is like herding hyperactive squirrels with mommy issues.
Anyway. Here's another Andrew -- my only grandson -- who (for now) has no choice but to let others do the driving.
He posed for me on the day after Thanksgiving at Irmo Town Park during his family's Christmas card shoot. I didn't even have to ask.
Now that's cooperation. I like it. I like it very much. It makes me tingle through the tangle.
Also I love my littles and I love my bigs, and we all cherish our doggies, and it's Christmas.
And that is all for now.
=0=0=0=
Happy Wednesday
Reader Comments (14)
Well, thank goodness Andrew is OK. Why do people shy away from taking responsibility? I'm trying to teach my Grands that owning up to a mistake and taking responsibility is the honorable way. When I make a mistake (rarely, but still...), I apologize and try to learn from it. Personally, I believe if more people were accountable, we'd have fewer problems as a Nation (but - I won't go there). Obviously, I'm smiling at Dagny and that little serious man (who looks like the big Andrew I think) . I also looked again at the family shot on your last post - priceless! Keep calm, Jenny, and enjoy the season.
Well, of course, thank the good Lord Andrew wasn't hurt! Goodness gracious though, Jenny, the way people are driving these days almost makes me afraid to get behind the wheel. Has it always been like that, or am I just getting old(er) and noticing more. Bless his heart, and now left today again so he won't be home for Christmas? I'm so sorry this happened to poor Andrew, and also pray he'll have a safe deployment.
Dagny? She is getting taller and cuter as time goes on! And, that little Andrew? What a handsome little guy! Y'all sure have good looks in the family! :)
xoxo
@Barb ... you made me chuckle audibly with that bit about how seldom you make a mistake. I totally hear that. And you're wise not to "go there" but yes, it sure would make a difference in this country if people once again were taught to take responsibility for their actions. That may be it in a nutshell. Never mind that Andrew could have broken his legs and that someone in the other car could have been badly hurt. Just WAIT YOUR TURN! I'll keep calm (well, as calm as I ever am) and I am enjoying the Christmas season very much indeed. I hope/know you are too. xoxo
@Sally ... yes, drivers are getting crazier. It terrifies me too. I do best if I just stay home as much as possible. And yes, it means Andrew won't be with us on Christmas Day. Bummer. Speaking of bumming, being a "Guard Bum" -- which means, he is not a full-time active duty National Guardsman but he nevertheless makes his whole living from working within the Guard -- for financial reasons he needed to avail himself of the month-long Guam deployment. He'll be here to ring in the new year with us, and it will be like having Christmas all over again. Merry Christmas to you, dear Sally. xoxo
Good grief! I am so glad that Andrew is okay, but how frustrating for him! Seriously, people just cannot drive. I can't tell you how many times I have been glad I was paying close attention since the other drivers don't seem to care and just assume that you will move out of their way so they can go where they want. I hope this all gets cleared up for him soon!
@Heather ... me too, girl. He's had enough drama for one year. Thanks for stopping by. I'm still thinking about how clever you are for putting those red lights up through the center of your tree. Merry Christmas xoxo
Oh man! We have something we often say while in the car... "Idiots abound!" It appears that one of them was a little too close to Andrew. Poor guy. Car issues like that are bad enough without having to deal with it from a distance.
On the other hand, those grandkids of yours are just so adorable! Good genes, I say!
@Mari ... well that's as good an explanation as any, I suppose, but I don't think anyone ever saw a non-cute grandkid, haaahaha! I'm just glad Andrew wasn't hurt. Cars you can replace. xoxo
So glad Andrew is o.k. , too bad about his jeep. Your little Andrew is not so little anymore.
Every time I turn around, I'm posting on Face Book about idiot drivers--every time I leave the house. Sorry Andrew won't be home for Christmas, but glad he is going to Guam--not such a risk there. The Little Andrew is so cute. I have an Andrew in my family too. What can I say about Dagny--that child is just plain gorgeous!
@Irene ... me too, my friend and no, he sure isn't. He'll be four in February.
@Judy ... If everybody would get their face out of their stupid phone, maybe there would be fewer accidents. That and exercise better judgment and WAIT YOUR TURN. Andrew likes Guam as he's been there several times, but he'll be working hard. We will miss him on Christmas. I agree about Dagny. She stuns me every time. And she's as sweet as she is beautiful. xoxo
Just Thanking God he wasn't hurt! God keep him Safe now and always!
Miss Dagney is just Adorable and little Andrew is gonna' be a heartbreaker for sure!
hughugs
"...herding hyperactive squirrels with mommy issues." 😂😂😂😂
Not holding my peace - so sue me. :)
Love that pic you posted of Dagny today. In fact, I love her, period.
xoxo
You see how I can outsmart you, Jenny. Since you turned off comments for your Christmas post, I must come back here and have the last word: Merry Christmas! If you get a package from CO, and it has nothing in it, you'll know I sent you some snow for your holidays.