Rear-Ended, Miserable, and Hoping for Change

Rear-Ended: The Day that Needs to End

Did you ever have one of those days where really early on in the day you are begging for it to end? Like the day was cursed, and you didn’t even want to attempt to make it better?

You knew something was off. You got up in the morning all cheery, breathing in the pleasant morning air that would accompany you throughout a beautiful, productive day.

And then you stubbed your toe. While trying to recover, you bashed your head on a shelf. Then you noticed that something went wrong with your alarm clock and you’re two hours late for work. And it just happens to be a day when you’re having a meeting with your boss for an evaluation. You hop in your car with your coffee, only to realize shortly afterwards that your socks don’t match, you accidentally put cold water in your coffee, and a bird did his business right across your windshield.

Yeah, a day like that. Where it’s cursed. Like it is written in the stars that nothing could possibly go well with this particular day.

And all you want to do is go to sleep early so hopefully the day’s aura could dissipate and the next one will start off fresh and ready to be amazing again.

Well, apparently sometimes you can have a week like that as well…

The Week that Must Die

And boy did we ever just suffer through one.

Sometimes you just know on Sunday that the week was not meant to be a good one. It was ironic, with Sunday being an absolutely fantastic day in which we celebrated the heck out of my birthday, replete with shooting, free house plants, and alone time. That day was great… the rest of the week just needed to go away.

I’ve already written about my awful Twitter incident, which continues to frustrate me, despite being long behind me. And there are aspects of the week that are personal or private, thus not really appropriate for this forum.

But there was one incident that I do want to talk about, because it’s dark cloud is still pouring into the following days and weeks, and there is just too much to say.

Rear-Ended into Misery

My beautiful wife and I were driving to pick up my daughter. We were waiting to turn a corner, when suddenly our bodies lunged forward, and we knew quickly that someone had hit us from behind.

Now, before I go any further, I want to say that we’re fine. I was sore and uncomfortable the next day and Devorah’s pain had pockets of being bad enough that we went to Terem (Urgent Care) to get her checked out. But we’re both OK now. The damage to our car was minimal and just esthetic. And the person who hit us was extremely nice and friendly, and they were easy to work with for getting through all the blah blah that would follow.

But that’s where the optimism and positives come to an end.

Rear-Ended: The Hell to Come

Have you ever been rear-ended? It’s not pretty. Yes, it is the most common type of car accident, and yes, most people walk away with minor pain and soreness.

But when you’re rear-ended, your life is about to get pummeled with a seemingly endless stream of irritations and responsibilities that you didn’t anticipate. And certainly didn’t deserve.

That day’s plans were ruined. I didn’t exercise, and anyone who knows me, knows that this is a big deal. Devorah, out of fear, skipped a class that night. We woke up feeling pretty awful, with everything from headaches to leg pain.

But pain is just the beginning. Now begins the trek into the world of getting car damage fixed, repeated and uncomfortable communication with the one who hit us, and the dreaded universe of insurance companies. All things no one has time for. And certainly no desire to deal with.

And then the Fears Begin…

And then the fears start coming into play. Driving in Israel is stressful under the best of circumstances. It’s shocking how poorly people drive in a country for which survival is so important, and one with so many requirements to get a license. Nevertheless, the average driver seems to speed down the street with no regard for their or anyone else’s lives.

But this wasn’t one of those people. She was sweet and friendly. And now we have to even fear the way she drives! And you’re not safe, even while stopped, even while driving in a not-so-congested area, when the roads are relatively slow. You are never safe. And that is unnerving… but not something we felt before that day.

And now my wife doesn’t want to drive past that area again. And I totally understand why. It’s terribly uncomfortable and it feels like that which was fine beforehand is no longer safe. Anything can happen, at any moment.

Stop Driving Irresponsibly

But there is something greater that needs to be discussed here. Our day was ruined and our week was a mess. But why?

The simpler answer is because someone else made a very preventable mistake. But I’m not sure I’m ready to let her get off that easily. Or anyone who has ever rear-ended anyone, for that matter.

Now, I wasn’t watching the woman when she hit into us. But if I had to make an educated guess, I’m going to assume she was looking down at her phone. I mean, after all, we’re all slaves to these damn things. Even when being so could be detrimental to our and other people’s health. Which, in my opinion, is the definition of addiction.

But perhaps it wasn’t her phone. Maybe she was looking at the pretty sky or she was frustrated at how someone treated her at a government office or she was eating a Snickers or she was lost in the amazing music she was listening to on the radio. It does not matter!

You are controlling a rolling death machine that can crush a person with ease… or just screw up someone’s week. If you are not up to that responsibility, then you should walk. If you hurt others with your privilege, figure out how to not do so. Put your phone away. Look at the road. Put your feelings to the side. Put down your candy bar. And turn off your radio.

You have one responsibility right now: Get from Point A to Point B without causing harm to anyone. Do it right!