Act One: Hit and Run
When I arrived at school this morning at 8:40, it seemed very much like an average day. My attendance in English Literature (ETS4U) with Mr. Esposito remained immaculate. He was even kind enough to inform me that my critique on the T.S. Eliot poem known as “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” was so exquisite that it was going to be used as a class example. So, I’ve made my mark in Marketing, History and Literature. I kick ass.
The annual explanation of the student handbook by Mr. Doherty was spiced up this year by an interlude from Ms. Cupido. There is something about her tone that makes it sound like she hates you with a passion. After this tiresome event, we returned to Lit. Class and read the beginning of a play. Erin Wagner and some guy named Aaron read the first scene out loud for us. It was delightful. We then decided to partake in a glass of Chardonay out on the boardwalk.
Period 2: I made my usual journey home to let out the dog. Sophie, being a puppy of ten weeks, has a bladder the size of a bottle cap but an intestinal tract the size of me. I swear that dog is off. We went outside. She played for a bit, before digging up virtual “wigs” of grass from our lawn. After going inside, I deceived her (for the umpteenth time) to go into her crate by offering her the sweet succulent treat she desires: bananas.
Period 3: I returned to school ten minutes early to ask Mr. Ort a few questions regarding his style of tests. Instead of Mr. Ort, I am met with the dwarfish stature of Mr. Gaylor. Since he is not Mr. Ort, and has no access to his mind in any form, I was left to enter the test blind and alone. Nevertheless, I am confident in my ability to “ace” the test.
Period 4: I walk to the van. Kevin and Jacob are already there. Apparently, they are going to Kevin’s house. Since I work in Home Entertainment that night, the deal is Jake is “supposed” to watch Sophie. Unfortunately, he is abandoning his duties for some Branson get together. After a brief arguement, we get in the van and pull out of the parking spot. We’re leaving the lot itself, when several trucks drive from the paved lot to the gravel lot and speed away.
I stop - naturally - to avoid a collision with them. A black Monte Carlo was pulling out on the opposite side of the parking lot, backing towards us. When I stopped, it stopped. I presumed there was a mutual understanding that the trucks going through the parking lot were a hazard, and movement in that direction should be suspended until that time.
Apparently, I was wrong.
I pulled up slightly, only to be met with the sound of Kevin and Jake yelling “Honk the horn!”
I turn to see what the problem is. The black Monte Carlo hasn’t stopped backing up. I steer to the right and hit the gas, and I quickly tap the horn. But it is too late. The back of the van is hit. A cloud of dust engulfs the vehicle. We can’t see anything, but we feel the van moving. The dust settles, and the black Monte Carlo is straightening out beside us. They look over, look worried, and speed away.
Kevin vaults out of the side door and looks at the damage. The bumper is about to fall off, and there are several dents in the side of the vehicle, dangerously close to the gas tank. I have no doubt that if I hadn’t steered right and accelerated, the Monte Carlo would have impacted the side passenger door and crushed Kevin’s leg.
Jacob runs inside. He make two stops: at the phone, he calls my mother and the police. In addition, he gets Mrs. Roxborough. She comes outside, and Mr. Kiffman arrives as well to survey the incident.
While we wait for the police, I go inside and phone work. I tell them what happened, and I don’t know what happens now, but I may not be able to work. They pretty much tell me that I’m working, even if the cops were to throw me in jail. Whatever.
I go back outside. We wait for 45 minutes before the cop arrives. Jake described the vehicle as magenta…and she didn’t see us…despite the crowd around the car.
She takes down my personal info. She looks at my license, and the insurance for the car. She takes down Jake’s info. She takes down Kevin’s info. She completely ignores my detailed explanation of the events. I was irritated, but I didn’t show it.
Then, the guy who hit us returns. He tells the cop some sob story about how he drove away because of a fear that he’d be made fun of by the hicks who saw it go on. Of course, he ignores the fact that Jake, Kevin and I stayed present and were subjected to the taunts, jeers, and snide remarks of our peers. But whatever.
So, the cop buys his sob story. The cop says we dont have to fill out statements. The entire thing is dropped. I don’t even think she filed a report. It’s bullshit. Bull-freakin’-shit. $3000 damage. He said he’d pay it, but the father seems to be backing out. If the police didn’t file a report, then the event pretty much didn’t happen.
Fuckity fuck.