About two years ago, around this time, it was a chilly Saturday morning in November. I don't recall why, but whatever the reason I was, I was up at 10 am that morning running all sorts of errands. My good friend Jack, who was visiting from Lansing, decided to tag along as I was planning to be out and about for at least a couple of hours.
I drove to various destinations, picking up this and that while our young, 18 year old minds discussed everything from girls to beer to girls to drugs to girls to girls to sports to girls. As we were in a heated debate over the particular hotness of two actresses whose names I can't recall, I found myself at a four way stop; that is, stop signs at every corner. I looked to my right and saw no cars, then looked left and saw a large van (A Caravanj, I believe) driven by a young bald guy with really large sideburns, approaching the stop sign.
I indicated left and was making the turn when I heard the scary sound of tires screeching. I jerked my head right and in a split second realized that the fucker had run the stop sign and was careening towards my Cavalier. I desperately tried to hit the gas in a vain attempt to avoid collision, but a millisecond later, his van smashed into my car, right between the front door and back door of the passenger side.
By the time I shook out of my semi daze, I heard another screech of tires and saw the van take off down the street. Jack sat there, somewhat shocked, and appeared to have broken his arm as he was holding his elbow in sheer agony. I looked outside and saw a man who likely witnessed the whole thing yank his dog along and run to the convenience store that was at the corner. About 15 minutes later, an ambulance came, gingerly pulled Jack out, and rushed us both to the hospital. I was feeling just fine albeit a little shook up, but it was likely for precautions sake.
As the medical staff tended to Jack, an officer came by his room an hour later to take my statement. As I was describing with anger how this bald fuck ran a stop sign, almost took out my friend, and then had the balls to drive off, I looked through the hospital room window in shock as a man was being wheeled past our ward.
A bald man with large sideburns.
"Holy fuck, that's him!" I yelled.
"What?" the officer said, dropping his clipboard at my sudden outburst.
"That's the guy!" I said, quickly getting up and following the stretcher which was wheeled into the room next to Jacks.
The officer followed close behind as I ran into the room. Sure enough, it was that same bald fuck who hit us. He looked pretty hurt, but could still speak and recognized me right away.
He held his hands up in terror.
"I'm sorry man, I'm sorry! I'll never make fun of Jesus again! I'm so sorry!"
"Jesus? Are you all right young man?" the officer asked.
"No, I'm not all right! Holy fucking hell, as soon as I hit that guy's car, I knew I was fucked because I don't have any insurance, so I panicked and took off! I hauled ass all the way down the street, and just as I was about to take a right turn onto the main road, I saw this huge fucking flash, and when I looked up, there was fucking Jesus, standing alone in the fucking cornfield on the other side of the road, just fucking staring at me! I freaked out! The next thing I know, I look left and this crazy Buick tries to beat the yellow light and smashes right into me!"
I couldn't believe it. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked him.
"It was Jesus man! Jesus!" he cried again.
"Jesus...Jesus...Jesus...Jesus...Jesus..." he kept muttering to himself, his eyes darting to and fro.
I had no idea what to say. The officer made me leave the room as he took the bald guy's testimony, or Jason Humphrey as I learned later.
I went back to Jack's room and told him what happened and he was just as sceptical as I was. I think the accident got the bald guy talking crazy.
In the end, Jason was charged with driving without insurance and fleeing the scene of a hit and run. Turns out he had a shit load of cash in a briefcase in his van that remained intact, even after both accidents. Unfortunately, in addition to the cash, the police also found a ton of cleverly concealed marijuana, also intact, which goes to show the indestructible power of weed. All in all, the future didn't look too bright for the guy. To add insult to injury, I sneaked into his hospital room a few hours later, stole his apple juice, and spit in his rice pudding while he was sleeping.
So why did this memory of two years suddenly retrigger?
I do some volunteer work for this small charity from time to time, and this Sunday, I had to deliver a bunch of old clothes to a run down church downtown. I parked in the back, took out the big bag of clothes, and knocked on the door. A few seconds later it opened, and I was greeted by a young man with a cane in one hand, a bible in the other.
A young, bald man.
"Welcome! I'm Pastor Humphrey. How may I help you?"
Jesus you crafty bastard.
I drove to various destinations, picking up this and that while our young, 18 year old minds discussed everything from girls to beer to girls to drugs to girls to girls to sports to girls. As we were in a heated debate over the particular hotness of two actresses whose names I can't recall, I found myself at a four way stop; that is, stop signs at every corner. I looked to my right and saw no cars, then looked left and saw a large van (A Caravanj, I believe) driven by a young bald guy with really large sideburns, approaching the stop sign.
I indicated left and was making the turn when I heard the scary sound of tires screeching. I jerked my head right and in a split second realized that the fucker had run the stop sign and was careening towards my Cavalier. I desperately tried to hit the gas in a vain attempt to avoid collision, but a millisecond later, his van smashed into my car, right between the front door and back door of the passenger side.
By the time I shook out of my semi daze, I heard another screech of tires and saw the van take off down the street. Jack sat there, somewhat shocked, and appeared to have broken his arm as he was holding his elbow in sheer agony. I looked outside and saw a man who likely witnessed the whole thing yank his dog along and run to the convenience store that was at the corner. About 15 minutes later, an ambulance came, gingerly pulled Jack out, and rushed us both to the hospital. I was feeling just fine albeit a little shook up, but it was likely for precautions sake.
As the medical staff tended to Jack, an officer came by his room an hour later to take my statement. As I was describing with anger how this bald fuck ran a stop sign, almost took out my friend, and then had the balls to drive off, I looked through the hospital room window in shock as a man was being wheeled past our ward.
A bald man with large sideburns.
"Holy fuck, that's him!" I yelled.
"What?" the officer said, dropping his clipboard at my sudden outburst.
"That's the guy!" I said, quickly getting up and following the stretcher which was wheeled into the room next to Jacks.
The officer followed close behind as I ran into the room. Sure enough, it was that same bald fuck who hit us. He looked pretty hurt, but could still speak and recognized me right away.
He held his hands up in terror.
"I'm sorry man, I'm sorry! I'll never make fun of Jesus again! I'm so sorry!"
"Jesus? Are you all right young man?" the officer asked.
"No, I'm not all right! Holy fucking hell, as soon as I hit that guy's car, I knew I was fucked because I don't have any insurance, so I panicked and took off! I hauled ass all the way down the street, and just as I was about to take a right turn onto the main road, I saw this huge fucking flash, and when I looked up, there was fucking Jesus, standing alone in the fucking cornfield on the other side of the road, just fucking staring at me! I freaked out! The next thing I know, I look left and this crazy Buick tries to beat the yellow light and smashes right into me!"
I couldn't believe it. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked him.
"It was Jesus man! Jesus!" he cried again.
"Jesus...Jesus...Jesus...Jesus...Jesus..." he kept muttering to himself, his eyes darting to and fro.
I had no idea what to say. The officer made me leave the room as he took the bald guy's testimony, or Jason Humphrey as I learned later.
I went back to Jack's room and told him what happened and he was just as sceptical as I was. I think the accident got the bald guy talking crazy.
In the end, Jason was charged with driving without insurance and fleeing the scene of a hit and run. Turns out he had a shit load of cash in a briefcase in his van that remained intact, even after both accidents. Unfortunately, in addition to the cash, the police also found a ton of cleverly concealed marijuana, also intact, which goes to show the indestructible power of weed. All in all, the future didn't look too bright for the guy. To add insult to injury, I sneaked into his hospital room a few hours later, stole his apple juice, and spit in his rice pudding while he was sleeping.
So why did this memory of two years suddenly retrigger?
I do some volunteer work for this small charity from time to time, and this Sunday, I had to deliver a bunch of old clothes to a run down church downtown. I parked in the back, took out the big bag of clothes, and knocked on the door. A few seconds later it opened, and I was greeted by a young man with a cane in one hand, a bible in the other.
A young, bald man.
"Welcome! I'm Pastor Humphrey. How may I help you?"
Jesus you crafty bastard.