How To Influence People And Not Make Friends

I must admit it was a first for me. I was the cause of a 4 car pile up. I've been in a fender bender a time or two, but I have never been in a real accident. Not only was I in one, I caused it.

The good news is, everyone is OK. Also good news was we drove away in our pathetically crippled vehicles.

So, here is what happened. I was driving home for work, and was barely out of the parking lot. The street I was driving on must have been facing directly west, because at 6pm, the sun momentarily was glaring so ferociously over the crest of the hill that it was all I could see. Until I got about 5 feet behind a silver Pontiac Sunfire. I barely had time to hit the brakes, and it was too little too late. BAM! (Also: DAMN!) I got out and still the sun was so intense I did not realize at first that it had impacted the two cars in front of the Sunfire. Everyone was shaken up but OK. The other drivers, all young female college students, were kind of circling their cars in disbelief. The trunk of the Pontiac was crushed like an aluminum can, and it tore the bumper right off my Jeep. Plus damaged the grill and scrunched up the hood. In the middle of that I thought I kept hearing someone calling me my name I was sorta in shock so it seemed kind of peripheral. Finally I tuned in and looked over on the side walk, and there was one of my former employees. Turns out she lived right there in an apartment and heard the noise. While we were waiting for the police to arrive, I looked at the sun which was finally beginning to sink over the hill. I remarked,

"I bet this isn't the first time this has happened here. I could not see a thing"

She said "It happens all the time!"

Me: "Wow. I believe it. I didn't even realize I couldn't see until I was on top of that car"

"At least everyone is OK. Insurance can take care of the rest of this mess"

Me: "Yeah, you're right", feeling a little guilty over the grief I was experiencing over my banged up vehicle. After all, I was the cause of 3 other people's grief over their vehicles. The girl that I hit directly couldn't stop shaking, and when I apologized to her, her eyes just welled up with big tears. "I feel terrible." I told my employee friend. "And I'm going to get a ticket"

She said "Yep, he's gonna cite you. But it's just a thing. At least nobody was hurt"

Me: "You. Are. Right."

Yep. Ain't nothing but a thing. And everyone is all right. Thank God.

Ouch!