Goooooood Morning Portland!

Driving in work today, I had The Greatest Idea for a blog post. It was going to be personal, meaningful, thoughtful. It was going to be Amazing.

I cannot remember the idea for the life of me.

Yet, somehow typing this out brought back the idea for me. Amazing how that works sometimes.

I know you like my stupid stories, so here's another!

One lovely summer day, back in high school, I was driving along merrily. I don't recall my destination, my mood, whether I was in a hurry, etc. I do recall that I was driving my 1986 Fiero, the most fun deathtrap I have ever had the pleasure of piloting. I'm cruising along, listening to the radio, probably singing along loudly and off key. Traffic slows to a complete halt!!

Now, we're in the suburbs, so this is rather unusual. I'm on a 2 lane road, and finally I realize there's bus ahead of us that has pulled over for a stop.

I would like to take this time to mention that, even as a high schooler, I was a careful driver. I look both ways multiple times, I check my blind spot...all that jazz.

So, I check my blind spot, fully turn around and see NO ONE coming in the other lane, so I pull out.

sssscccrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhh!!!!

HHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

I look around, stunned and confused. There apparently WAS a car coming, and she squealed around me, honking and shaking her fist at me.

OMG - I thought my heart had stopped. I sat there (traffic was stopped in that lane too, I just hadn't realized that) still confused, trying to figure out how on earth that happened, when I CHECKED. I FRIGGING LOOKED.

I still don't know. What I do know is that there were people who pulled up behind me, two girls. They leaned out their windows, shouting at me and gesturing. No obscene gestures, but I had my windows up, so I have no idea what they said to me, and I wasn't about to open my windows to find out.

I'm pretty sure I sank a good two feet down into my seat, as I sat there feeling stupid, embarrassed, and so incredibly sorry that I'd pulled in front of that girl.

I never did see her car after that, though I was hoping I would so I could try to apologize.

I'm nearly 30 now, but I can recall that scene plain as day. It still makes me all panicky and stressed thinking about it.

Girl Whom I Nearly Hit, I am so sorry that happened. I dearly hope you made it through the rest of your day unscathed, and that you had a hearty drink that night while you tried to forget that I nearly killed you.