Saturday, January 24, 2004

We need a new car

On other news, we are looking for a new car. We had an accident on Wednesday in which a truck came over us in slow motion and destroyed the left side of our Chrysler Neon. We went out of the accident without a scratch but a little bruise over my head.

I think I bumped it on our car ceiling, which did the same effect of a hard reset to my brain. I spent some minutes running BIOS diagnostics and configuring peripherals just after the accident :), I even remember doing some basic arithmetic calculations to check my ALU status.

It all happened in a very innocent looking corner in Bellavista around eleven thirty in the morning.

I think I was able to put my arms around my boy (we were both in the back seat) before the truck hit us, but I am not quite sure because just immediately I began seeing stars...

Getting out of the car was almost funny. We could only open the right front door because the back door was wedged by a couple of steel columns (which the corner house owner put to avoid cars of entering his living room). Adriana got out first, Martín after her, and me last. There was a medical doctor already waiting for us on the side of the car for a quick examination, and also a poor little boy that asked me for some coins. We handed Martín to the doctor, and I said no to the boy with the weirdest smile.

Upon asking the doctor about our son's status, the little poor boy was already trying to steal everything from the backseat of the car. It was just a few steps from us but I was still confused, and I had other priorities. Luckily one other guy pulled him out.

Then the neighbors then asked us politely to close the car to avoid being robbed. They were very used to car crashes. They also offered us a seat.

My wife and I took the whole accident with a cold and precise (and perhaps absurd) problem solving attitude. We called our friends that were a few blocks from there.
Fortunately in a few minutes we had around seven of our great friends helping us and giving us their warm support. Great THANKS to Pepijn, Janneke, Claudio, Niky, Nicolas and Diana, and also Thijmen the baby! And apologizes for ruining the snorkeling excursion to some of you!

Janneke brought Martín and me to a hospital for a more comprehensive examination, while the others stayed with Adriana to help her manage the situation with the truck driver, the people and the police. We came back from the hospital very soon.

By 2:00 p.m. we were having lunch at Niky’s house. And Martín was blogging it: “Once upon a time, there was a big truck on the corner. Then we came with our car and it hit us and it broke our car. My dad got his bruise on his head, and now he has an ice bag on it.” Of course this is a free translation from my boy’s very sweet Spanish.

Our reaction to the events has been very possitive. At least we don't need to worry anymore about some little glitches the poor old car had. Unfortunatelly the truck driver declared himself innocent even when we think he is responsible of the accident. We know it will be a mess to get something from the insurance companies. If I was only sure my employer will pay me the money he still owes me, I would be more calmed.

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