Wednesday, August 22, 2007

I saw a miracle happen today!

Yup. A real life honest to goodness miracle. And I was the lucky girl! This is how it happened.

Today was a HECTIC day, the 2nd to last day of a worse than hectic week. Our ex-principal had her retirement function at school this morning, and we worked like maniacs to get everything perfect for her big day. Got to school at half past 6 and when I walked into the principal's office he said he wanted to see me, not right then, but alone please. The fact that he said the "alone please" part without saying good morning meant I was in trouble. Bad start to a day that kept getting worse by leaps and bounds.

If I gave a passing thought in the past to the fact that teachers need an extra pair of hands and a clone of herself, I'm totally convinced of it now. I'll gladly leave the clone at school since the moment the bell rings and it's time to go home, things somehow calm down.

Not today though.

Seeing that all the guests had to get VIP parking, the teachers' cars were "banned" to the netball field for the day. That's the best excuse I can come up with for the fact that everything came to a crashing halt when I reversed into a netball pole. I got out of my car in total shock, and when I saw the bumper curled backward around the pole and forward around the right rear wheel, I burst into tears. This girl experienced her first hysterical fit. (That's when I realized that I can stay calm in a crisis, as long as it's someone else's!)

Let me tell you a little bit about my car first. For 13 years I drove an old, dilapidated Opel Monza. It was on my ex-husband's name, and it never really felt like mine. The car desperately needed new brakes, shocks and just about anything else that were on the brink of breaking down. In January 2006 when I was permanently appointed as teacher again (after an absence from teaching of about 4 years) I juggled with my budget and decided I'd be able to afford a small car. I bought a brand new Ford Ka. It's bottom of the range, only the second cheapest car available, but I wanted 1 luxury only: aircon. And I got it! It was love at first sight - my first car and I felt like a queen!

This is what it looks like. The color is Tonic: an icy shade of blue.


Back to the accident. While I was standing there with my face in my hands, tear ducts working overtime, looking at my poor little Ka that was wrapped around the pole, the principal, secretary and caretaker of the school came running to me. The wheel was literally flat against the pole, and my mind was working overtime as to where I'd put the number for my insurance tow-in service. There was no way I would be able to drive this car of mine home.

The principal asked me in a stern voice if I have insurance and the secretary kept patting my back. I was crying as if it's the end of the world or worse and only managed a nod. The caretaker got into my car and drove forward a bit, away from the pole.

And that's when it happened.

The crumpled up bumper started popping out, back into shape! It was totally surreal watching it happen. Within seconds it was back to its original shape. No bump or dent at ALL. We looked at each other incredulously - if we didn't SEE the bumper curled around the pole, if we didn't HEAR the crashing into it part, and if it wasn't for the few shards of red glass from the rear light laying on the grass, it would've been like it didn't happen at all.

The secretary looked at me open mouthed: "Wow! That was a powerful prayer!"

The truth is that God looked out for me when I was too shocked to even think of praying. I was way too deep into the crying part - it was just about impossible to stop immediately, but I think I cried for a somewhat different reason by that time.

Just to show you how my car looks after the accident:




Can you see how far the bumper sticks out past the light part? Imagine that pole being right up against the wheel. And there is not a single scratch in sight. None. Nada. Niks.

It's going to cost me about R750 ($100) to repair the light and since that is less than half my standard insurance excess, it's not even necessary to put in a claim.

Now isn't that just the most amazing and wonderful miracle?

9 comments:

Lori Lavender Luz said...

I have goosebumps!

What a neat story.

Furrow said...

Dang. Ford doesn't sell the Ka here, but it sounds like a sweet little thing. Not to discount the God-watching-over-you theory.

Incidentally, do y'all say "dang" down there? Or "y'all?"

I'd like to request some informal South Africanisms (or whatever you might call it) in your writing. We could have a slang exchange. Mine is southern American English. I just use it for fun, not because I don't know any better.

Congratulations on your automotive miracle. What did the principal want?

Pamela T. said...

Holey Moley! That's a story for Dearborn, Michigan (where Ford Motor Company's headquarters is located -- not terribly far from where I grew up!)

So glad that it ended up being a small tail lamp fix and no more. Seriously, that's the best story I've heard in a while. Glad that such an unfortunate accident ended up so well.

AwkwardMoments said...

WOW - that is utterly amazing. I'm speechless

Mandy said...

This made me smile for 2 reasons:

1 - Cause it's really quite funny in a cute way.

2 - It proves that miracles really do happen.

Thanks for that.

Geohde said...

I am glad that your little Ka recovered so well.

My husband drives my beloved car, and he scraped it up against a car park wall two freaking months ago. Still waiting for the repair.....Getting crosser about it by the day!

Sarah said...

wow, that's some car!

JJ said...

Holy cow....just crazy!

James Higham said...

I believe this happened exactly as you say and it is truly amazing.