The day after Christmas, on the way to lunch and a movie, we smashed up our car on the freeway. The details of the crash are relatively simple--in order to avoid an accident on the verge of occurring up ahead (lots of hard braking and smoke), Will veered into the next lane and was read-ended by a Kia. The damage was minimal, relatively speaking: our rear bumper was basically ruined, the Kia's front bumper was pretty scratched up. No one was hurt. The airbags did not deploy.
I like situations like this, obviously not because we now have to pay a $500 deductible to our insurance company, but because of the way my husband reacts in lousy situations. He remains remarkably calm and collected, a trait that makes him, as my uncle describes, "the guy you want up at the plate when it's the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs."
So, the first thing Will does after the crash is tell me to call the folks we're meeting for lunch and tell them to order him the soup and sandwich lunch special, as we'll be a few minutes late and don't want to miss the movie on account of this small hold-up.
Will then calms down the slightly-freaking-out other party.
At this point a California Highway Patrol car shows up. And then a second CHP car. And then a third. Not much going at at noon on the 26th, I surmise.
I'm thinking there's no way we're making it to lunch and a movie.
We've now got a lot of officers hanging out with us on the side of the freeway in our hometown, a quarter mile from the mall exit. The officers take info from the Kia people first. The Kia people depart. It's us and the CHP left on the side of the road.
With the barely noticeable damage to our vehicle, the three CHP cars, and the four officers taking reports, I'm pretty sure it appears that we're being interrogated for something more severe than a fender-bender (warrant out for our arrest? knocking off a liquor store? involvement in a high-speed chase?). I'm also pretty sure that every single one of my former students passed by in the 20 minutes or so that the report-taking and insurance-calling took. I report the awesomeness of this every time I relay the story (who cares about the actual accident, I'm practically a criminal. It was three cop cars and us!).
We make it to lunch.
The people we are meeting look seriously concerned. Will, ever the counselor, assures them that everybody is okay, accidents happen, no biggie.
The accident is forgotten.
We laugh in the movie, just as we would have if we didn't have a car in the parking lot that needed a brand new bumper. I sneak a peek at Will several times during the movie. He's concerned with only two things: popcorn and Jim Carrey. I'm glad we chose a comedy and, even more, I'm glad to be married to a man that hits a grand slam when the pressure is on.
You have a good man there. And he has himself a great woman.
Posted by: Benji | January 10, 2009 at 07:23 PM
Great post. Sorry about the accident. But what a great way to recover. I love it when our men amaze us, they seem to 'woo' us all over again by just being, well, men. Have you ever heard the song "Push" by Sarah McLachlan? Look it up. It's a great song to dedicate to a great man.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 10, 2009 at 09:33 PM
wow, i had a couple of minor car accidents myself and believe me i could never be that cool. good for him, and you :) glad to know no one is hurt.
Posted by: andhari | January 10, 2009 at 09:44 PM
Good on, Will. Great post.
Posted by: Nicole | January 11, 2009 at 07:55 AM
He sounds like the kind of man who would vaccuum stuffed animals for a toddler...the best sort of man, I think.
Posted by: jen | January 11, 2009 at 09:10 AM
I'm so glad that nobody got hurt! And that Will sounds like a keeper. :)
Posted by: Hope | January 11, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Wow, great recovery, I'm glad you both are okay! There's no way I could've just continued with my plans I would have gone home to mope or cry. I need to learn this lesson from you both!
Posted by: Laurie | January 11, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Wow. Cool cucumber, that Will is. So glad no one was hurt.s
Posted by: shannon | January 11, 2009 at 01:12 PM
What a guy! And you're no slouch either!
Posted by: Michele | January 11, 2009 at 03:10 PM
You're probably right that everyone saw you because this is still a small town kind of place. I'm going to ask my class how many saw you. :)
Posted by: maggienwilly | January 11, 2009 at 08:23 PM
Yay for Will--good in a crisis! I liked that story. And, of course, best of all that nobody got hurt.
Posted by: lesli | January 13, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Oh my gosh. It's so scary how much your accident sounds like one my husband and I were in on Christmas Eve. Granted, it was in a snow storm and the accident in front of us was caused by a car spinning on ice, but we were slowing down to avoid it and another car as they crashed and we were fine, but then a Kia rearended us. Seriously, I'm never buying a Kia. We barely had any damage, but the Kia got so bashed in they couldn't open either doors on the passenger side. Anyway, I was also so happy that my husband was so cool and collected and I loved him even more after the experience. One other little difference - we wouldn't have made it to lunch. I guess the police are a bit slower in Idaho than California. Pfft.
Posted by: Sijbrich | January 14, 2009 at 02:03 PM
Yes. That's a remarkarble trait. You are blessed to be married to someone with this characteristic.
Posted by: HBee | January 15, 2009 at 01:11 PM
I want a man like that. :)
Posted by: Zandria | January 18, 2009 at 06:21 PM
That's awesome that you didn't spoil it for him! My man is totally like that, unfortunately I have the capability to get under his skin with my freak-out tendencies and ruin it :( . Must learn from you!
Posted by: Pink Sun Drops | January 20, 2009 at 08:37 AM