Yesterday Tetsu and I cleaned awhile and then went out to lunch. Did some shopping, ran into a friend and had coffee together. Came home. Correction. Tried to come home. About a mile from home a van crossed over the center line and rammed into our car! My new little Toyota was assaulted!
Tetsu swerved to the side of the road when he saw this van coming toward us and I wasn't even sure we'd been hit. We pulled off into some factory driveway while the van stopped at the side of the road and sure enough our side mirror was gone and the rear side was smashed in. Not a lot but enough! The young man driving the van (working van) apologized up and down but didn't have the slightest idea of what he should do next. My husband somewhat successfully kept his temper under control.Call the police. Stand around for 15 minutes while they get there. It's not like you can make pleasant small talk with the crashee. Tetsu barked out suggestions.
"Don't you think you should call your employer? Don't you think you might have him contact the company's insurance agent?"
Finally the policeman showed up (I was barely in America and I met one policeman, I'm barely back in Japan and I meet another one) and questioned both parties and vaguely let us know that after he took his report it was up to us to figure out who was responsible... That did not make Tetsu happy."Excuse me. HE crossed over the center line."
The young man was on his cell phone trying to get someone in his company to come out and help him. Tetsu was on his cell phone talking to his insurance person and the car dealership. Tetsu and the young man were exchanging cell phones to give their respective parties information and Tetsu was having more and more trouble keeping his temper down. (Also, as it was explained to us, since our car was also moving we are 50% responsible.)"Everyone is incompetent!"
After two hours of sitting in the sweltering car I struck out towards home... Got my daily pedometer count in... and Tetsu arrived home an hour later still fuming. All I can say is that I now realize why it is important to carry a cell phone.
This morning Tetsu is in a bad mood. Barely grunting at me and scowling at the world. I don't know why he's angry at me! Thank goodness I wasn't driving! Makes me wish I'd stayed another week in the States! Good luck to the people in his office today!
On the bright side (which even Tetsu recognizes) no one was hurt, the car isn't badly damaged, everyone has insurance. My poor little car is going in for repairs today...
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