How was YOUR Monday?

So, where's Lex been? Let's see. Yesterday she totaled her car 50 minutes after signing a new car insurance policy.

I let the car insurance lapse on my car for a while because I'm, well, broke. It came down to a toss up between rent and insurance after the forced move in August. I took a gamble. But it snowed Sunday in the DC area and after a very scary drive home from a dinner at my mom's place I knew I needed to fix that situation right away. I was looking for insurance companies online and I found an agent close to my house. I called to see if I could find out what time they opened Monday morning. The agent answered. It was midnight. He was at home. He said it was no problem because he was up anyway? {confused puppy dog face} I asked if he was sure and said I could call back in the morning, but he insisted so he worked up a quote for me, prepared my paperwork and told me to come in and sign the papers on the way to work in the morning.

I went in. I signed. He was great. I asked when the policy was effective. He laughed and wrote 9:16 am at the top of my policy. He joked that I have no idea how many people leave his office and total their cars 2o minutes later. I said, "No way!"

Well, WAY!!!

At 9:56 am I was going full speed (60 mph) on I-695. I am one lane over from the slow lane. As I approach the Liberty Road on ramp I see a black sports car lose control as he's getting ready to merge into the slow lane and go into a tail spin. His donuts spun right out into the traffic, right in front of me. RIGHT in front of me. I heard myself laughing at my insurance agent. There was nothing I could do. I knew I was going to plow into him...and plow into him I did. After the impact I felt my hands clenched on the steering wheel and I waited for the rest of the cars to slam into me. No other cars slammed into me. I smelled smoke and I peeled my eyes open. The smoke was coming from the air bag. Both airbags deployed. My face hurt. I was terrified to look into the rear view mirror. I was wet. There were wet pools all over my coat. I thought it was strange that my blood smelled like coffee. Oh, it was coffee. My nose hurt. I looked in the mirror. There was something running down my face. Tears. Heather ran over and asked if I was ok. She was on the phone with emergency dispatch describing everything including my state. She knew better than I did. I got out of my car and got into hers because she said my car was smoking. My knees hurt. But I could walk without pain. Good news.

I sat in her car. Police and an ambulance came. I went to the hospital. Everybody got all in a tissy when I told them I was going full speed and my airbags deployed. I cut my finger. I may have a small hairline break in my nose. I got a band-aid and a prescription for Motrin for inflammation and Flexeril for muscle relaxing. I went to the lot to get my computer out of the car. When I walked into the driveway I looked at my car and I saw the engine. All the silver stuff that used to be in front of it and around it was gone. I got my stuff out my car and signed some papers so that the other guy's insurance company could handle it. The other guy came in. He was fine. I was glad. He apologized. He was given a citation for the incident. He took responsibility for the crash although it was caused by the ice...but tell an insurance company that.

I was hungry. Daddy took me to Fuddrucker's. I almost fell asleep in my burger. Flexeril is nice. I came home. I went to sleep.

I'm stiff today and my nose hurts a little more. If you could see my car you'd understand how grateful I am to be alive.

I don't ever want to drive again, but I will, this afternoon when I pick up the rental. I won't ever drive in bad weather again, even if it costs me my job. My life is worth more. This is the 3rd accident I've had because someone else lost control in the ice. This is the 2nd such accident I've had trying to get to work in the ice. Never. Again.

I am blessed.