Profile

It was a brisk November morning, and I had woken before my parents for the first time in ages. I was going to a friend’s trial to be supportive as he got sentenced. I decided to take some of the morning burden off of my dad and walk the dogs for him. As I was getting ready to walk out the door I left a note explaining where I was going and why, I left it on the kitchen sink as always. I got in my car and started out to meet my friend’s mom and head to the hearing.

I drove down a back road that I know very well and looked down at my radio to change the station while rounding a sharp turn. This was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made and I quickly learned that. As I looked up I saw a school bus headed straight for me in my lane over the double yellow line. I had no time to react before impact. The school bus quickly pulled over. My car would not move and was sitting in the middle of the road. I tried to open my door and couldn’t get it opened. Finally I reached over to my passenger door opened it and climbed out of my car. As I was looking at the damage to my car I pulled out my cell phone and called a friend of mine who drives a tow truck.

“Hello?”

“Ummm, Billy, I need your help, I think I just fucked up.”

“Where are you?”

“Happy creek by the cemetery, a school bus just hit me.”

“I’ll be right there. Are you ok?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ok I’ll be right there.”

As I hung up the phone I began walking to the bus. I got on the bus saw three kids and noticed the bus driver was not there. I got off the bus and noticed she was talking to someone stopped in the road behind me. I walked over to her and asked, “Ma’am are you and the kids ok?”

“I’m fine but I’m not sure about the kids, they are handicap.”

She went back to her conversation and I began walking away. I pulled out my phone and called my mom. “Mama, I just got in an accident.”

“Are you ok?”

“Yea, I’m fine but I hit a handicap school bus.”

“Oh my god baby, you just committed the mother sin of all driving sins.”

“You don’t think I know that!”

“Where are you baby?”

“I’m on Happy Creek where the cemetery is.”

“Ok I’m on my way have you called the police?”

“No, but I called Billy and the cops are pulling in now.”

“Ok I will be there in a few minutes.”

“Ok.”

Billy walked up to me out of nowhere and I instantly started crying. “It’s ok Marissa, accidents happen.”

“Not like this they don’t! My dad is going to kill me.”

“He will understand.”

“Billy, you know my dad. He will not understand this one.”

The state trooper walked up and began assessing the damages on the school bus and my cavalier. I was shaking when my mom showed up. She jumped out of the car, ran up, and gave me a hug. The state trooper had already taken the bus driver’s statement and then asked for me to come to his vehicle.

“I need you to tell me what happened and then write your statement here,” he said as he pointed to the box I was to write my statement in.

“I was on my way out of town on Happy Creek to meet a friend’s mom for his court hearing, as I came around the turn the bus was over the double yellow line and in my lane and before I had time to think about moving we collided.”

“She said you were in her lane.”

“No she was in my lane.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes I’m sure.”

“Well I am writing you a failure to maintain your side of the highway ticket.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Do you want a reckless driving ticket?”

“No.”

“Then I’m not kidding, I’m writing you a lower ticket, if you want to fight it you can go to court.”

“Ok.” I decided very quickly it would be better not to argue with the cop. Then I quickly started to panic again. My dad was going to have my ass. There was no question about it. This was my first day of thanksgiving break my freshman year of college; I was nowhere near being an adult in my father’s eyes. My mom was trying to figure out how to get around telling my dad, which I knew was never going to work, but that was always her solution; don’t tell him and he won’t know. My dad was intelligent and I knew he would find my car one way or another. Billy kept saying that my dad was not going to freak out, I didn’t believe him. Finally I had to call my dad, because my car had to be towed somewhere and it would be cheaper to just take it home. Once Billy’s boss caught wind of this tow my dad was going to be called, after all he drank coffee at that tow shop every morning before work. I finally dialed my dad’s cell.

“Dutch?”

“Hey Papa.”

“Thanks for walking the dogs this morning, did you make it to the hearing yet?”

“No I never made it to meet his mom.”

“What happened?”

“I got in an accident on Happy Creek.”

“Are you ok?”

“Yea, Mama’s here and Billy is towing it, where should he tow it to.”

“How bad is it?”

“It won’t move.”

“Yea just have him tow it here. Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I think so.”

“Ok. Accidents happen Dutch, it will be ok. I love you.”

I about dropped my phone. I quickly collected myself and replied, “I love you too.”

I couldn’t believe it. My dad was never understanding when I got in an accident. My mom always was, but she was the parent I got my accident prone tendencies from. Every accident my mother had been in while I was growing up I distinctly remember my dad’s horrible attitude and his “you should have been able to avoid this” comments. I had been in a few fender benders in the two years I had been driving and every time my dad flipped out on me. I had no idea how this one was different, but something had changed in my dad and that was more apparent than ever that day.

I later found out that Billy had talked to my dad and had told him that he needed to be a little more understanding with me, because every time he flipped out I freaked out. I felt horrible about the accident especially because there were three kids on the bus, I really didn’t need any more grief than I was already giving myself. My dad finally understood that. Ever since then my dad and I have become closer. Before I thought he was just mean and cranky all the time, and because my mom always tried to hide things that would get him upset, I had learned to fear him. That day that fear was replaced by an understanding that has since grown.