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If you guys don't mind, I'd like to tell you a story with a great ending!
Not something I speak-on much, but I'm a child clinical social worker for the County, counseling abuse victims, etc. Anywho, I have an outspoken co-worker whom is a riot to get excited over anything & everything. He decided he was going to treat himself to an early Christmas present and buy himself a new Ford F-150. This guy had the perfect truck in-mind, set-on fire blue, extended cab, not fully-loaded like his Toyota Avalon, but just enough options to be happy. Apparently the dealer could not find the truck he wanted, so they loaned him another F-150 till they could. A week and a half later, Barry gets his truck. At work, all shiny & BLUE in the parking lot, it's nice! Gone the next day for a LINE-X bedliner. Back in the lot the following day. Barry is planning a road trip with Big Blue down to Charlotte to see his siblings for Christmas. He's excited to put some mileage on the truck. Barry leaves for work, I follow five minutes behind. Lo & behold, Barry's truck turned around on the side of the road, driver's side side-swiped, drive axle hanging. He's okay, just angry. The other guy's car? A '98 Buick Century- totaled. Everyone is okay. Barry was not at-fault. Took an hour for them to load Barry's truck onto the flatbed, as the drive axle kept digging into the mud. During that whole extravaganza, Barry is a jerk with no compassion for the other driver whom is in tears. He has little money, saving every penny for his kids Christmas gifts and college. Works two jobs, and his wife two. His wife arrives in a car worse-looking than his wrecked car. Wife is in tears. They are both devastated at the realization they cannot afford another car, let-alone a deductible.
Drove Barry to the dealership. No body shop, no rentals. Drive him to the airport to get a rental. All I'm hearing from Barry is what an idiot the other driver was, and he hoped he had a rotten Christmas, etc. Very disappointed in Barry. Where is the empathy?
Wednesday night leaving work, who do I see at the gas station working? The other accident participant. Talking to him, he was layed-off from GM after a plant closure, and works two jobs, and neither equal the pay he earned at the plant. His son is in law school, his daughter pre-med. His wife had to wake-up extra early to drive him to work, after she got-off work two hours prior at Walmart stocking shelves. This guy just is not having a good ending to his year. However, it's about to get brighter. My younger brother had a '02 S-10 Extended cab, 4-banger he no-longer needed. I called him up, offered him some Christmas pocket money for the truck, and picked it up. Drove it back to the gas station, and handed him the title, shook his hand and walked away.
I don't know what he told his wife or family. My phone number is not listed. I don't care to know. I could have done more I guess. I have connections for employment referrals, etc. Could have asked more questions to see how else I could have helped. But, I didn't. He has a car to get around with, and he's right back where he started with the exception of paying the traffic ticket. Merry Christmas to him and his family, and I hope he learned his lesson. A happy ending fortunately.
Not something I speak-on much, but I'm a child clinical social worker for the County, counseling abuse victims, etc. Anywho, I have an outspoken co-worker whom is a riot to get excited over anything & everything. He decided he was going to treat himself to an early Christmas present and buy himself a new Ford F-150. This guy had the perfect truck in-mind, set-on fire blue, extended cab, not fully-loaded like his Toyota Avalon, but just enough options to be happy. Apparently the dealer could not find the truck he wanted, so they loaned him another F-150 till they could. A week and a half later, Barry gets his truck. At work, all shiny & BLUE in the parking lot, it's nice! Gone the next day for a LINE-X bedliner. Back in the lot the following day. Barry is planning a road trip with Big Blue down to Charlotte to see his siblings for Christmas. He's excited to put some mileage on the truck. Barry leaves for work, I follow five minutes behind. Lo & behold, Barry's truck turned around on the side of the road, driver's side side-swiped, drive axle hanging. He's okay, just angry. The other guy's car? A '98 Buick Century- totaled. Everyone is okay. Barry was not at-fault. Took an hour for them to load Barry's truck onto the flatbed, as the drive axle kept digging into the mud. During that whole extravaganza, Barry is a jerk with no compassion for the other driver whom is in tears. He has little money, saving every penny for his kids Christmas gifts and college. Works two jobs, and his wife two. His wife arrives in a car worse-looking than his wrecked car. Wife is in tears. They are both devastated at the realization they cannot afford another car, let-alone a deductible.
Drove Barry to the dealership. No body shop, no rentals. Drive him to the airport to get a rental. All I'm hearing from Barry is what an idiot the other driver was, and he hoped he had a rotten Christmas, etc. Very disappointed in Barry. Where is the empathy?
Wednesday night leaving work, who do I see at the gas station working? The other accident participant. Talking to him, he was layed-off from GM after a plant closure, and works two jobs, and neither equal the pay he earned at the plant. His son is in law school, his daughter pre-med. His wife had to wake-up extra early to drive him to work, after she got-off work two hours prior at Walmart stocking shelves. This guy just is not having a good ending to his year. However, it's about to get brighter. My younger brother had a '02 S-10 Extended cab, 4-banger he no-longer needed. I called him up, offered him some Christmas pocket money for the truck, and picked it up. Drove it back to the gas station, and handed him the title, shook his hand and walked away.
I don't know what he told his wife or family. My phone number is not listed. I don't care to know. I could have done more I guess. I have connections for employment referrals, etc. Could have asked more questions to see how else I could have helped. But, I didn't. He has a car to get around with, and he's right back where he started with the exception of paying the traffic ticket. Merry Christmas to him and his family, and I hope he learned his lesson. A happy ending fortunately.
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