The Way it was Supposed to Be

This is a story that started out just like any other in my life.
I wasn’t paying attention in my surroundings or what I was doing.
I had started the day off like most days.
Waking up, and enjoying some quiet time and a cup of coffee.
No big deal, right? Said my prayers, and headed into work.
That’s when it started.
Not the job – but the folks I work with.
As the day began and the folks around started in with their complaints and the, “They should be doing it this way” comments, it was hard enough to stay on task with my own work load. Anyway – as the morning rolled on I began to feel very squirrely, very moody due to outside forces.
Hadn’t I said my prayers this morning?
Hadn’t I started my day off on my knees – so I could stand throughout the day?
With all those good feelings I had started my day out with, was now slowly starting to be drained out of me.
Now before you think I didn’t stop and pray, you’re right. I didn’t?
Looking back now, I can’t think of any good reason why I hadn’t stopped and prayed.
Life was coming at me real fast I guess.
Or, as I said earlier – not paying attention either way I was on autopilot, doing ‘it’ my way.
I headed out to one of our new job sites with two of our clients.
Stayed on task as I often tell my consumer to do while still receiving calls from work on the, ‘He said crap.’
Feeling my serenity being slowly pulled out of my life and trying to stay on my side of the street, while consulting co-workers of their woes was starting to fill the empty spot where my serenity was earlier.
I can see it now – isn’t hindsight always 20/20?
My attitude towards my clients at the job site were on thin ice.
Staying on top of their program and still completing the job we headed out a few minutes early so we could get their lunches and possibly one for me.
I drop them back off at the office and head downtown to a local shop for something to eat and this is where it gets more squirrely.
Noticing the time and realizing that it’s a few minutes ‘til noon and one of the support groups that I attend will be starting up shortly.
I thought – get it, I thought that I could slip in and catch the first part of the meeting then head back to work.
Thinking to myself that there most likely wouldn’t be any parking spot out front but sure enough not only was there one – there were two right across the street.
Oh lucky me. (Thanks God.)
I jumped out of my car and briskly walked across the street that had no traffic, which was a surprise within itself at that time of day.
(Thanks God.)
I headed in – sat down and started to listen to the speaker share.
Oh that sweet serenity following back into me.
(Thanks God.)
Looking up I notice the time and decided that I had better head out, get my lunch and head back to work now that my batteries where fully charged.
I walked down the path to the front of the street and traffic was bad.
So I walked up to the crosswalk and crossed.
Now this is where it gets even squirrelier.
I approach my car and notice that the front bumper had been hit.
“What I heck man!” I said out loud.
I was only in there for like 20 minutes tops and someone ends up hitting my car.
Bending down I see the directional light is broken and pushed in with a large tear in the hard plastic bumper.
What the heck man, this is bull I thought to myself.
Who would hit someone and not say anything?
Slowly feeling the serenity being pulled from me and I stop, take a look and notice that the other side is also broken and pushed in as well.
“What the hell man!” I said out loud.
Okay, okay, let think this through.
I had not too long ago bought a ‘smart phone’ that I spent way too much time looking up ‘Apps’,
I remembered I had down loaded my insurance app onto my phone.
Feeling justified I pull up my new app and low-and-behold I never took the time to fill out the information to get it started.
What the hell man! I thought to myself.
Who would hit someone and not say anything?
Looking at my ‘smart phone’ that makes me feel even dumber with it I decide to call my insurance agent.
Now before I go any further it should be stated that all that wonderful serenity it now gone and replaced with me being pissed.
Here’s how the conversation went.
“Good afternoon, how may we help you?”
“Yah, hi – I’m insured by you and I was just hit. Well not just hit – but someone hit my car while I was inside.”
“Was anyone hurt? Is the other vehicle still there?” “No and no.” I replied.
“Where is your vehicle?”
“Right where I left it before it was hit.”
“Are you currently driving now?”
“No, I’m currently talking to you on the side of the road.” With my ‘smart phone’ to boot I thought to myself.
“Who is your Agent?”
“I don’t know? I think it’s Dan?” I say.
Thinking – what the hell man.
Who would hit someone and not say anything?
“Okay, I think he’s in would you like to talk to him?”
“Well I would like to talk to someone about this – so yah, sure. It’s not like I’m going anywhere yet.
Not ‘til I find out what can be done about this.”
What was that saying, “Justifiable Anger” has no place, yah right – someone hit my car.
What the heck man!
“I’ll put you through now sir. Have a nice day.”
Yah, I’m having tons of fun. I thought.
“Hello, this is Dan. How can I help you?”
“Hi, I have you folks as my insurance carrier.”
“Okay, how can we help? How’s it going?”
“Well not so good right at the moment. Someone hit my car bumper while I was inside.”
“Well that stinks.”
“Yes, yes it does.”
“I don’t know what you guys can do for me? Or what my insurance can cover? But it looks bad!
As I take a step back and now see the lower part of my grill is broken and pushed in too.
“What the hell man!” I said out loud.
“Are you okay?” My Agent asks.
“Yah, yah, I just noticed that my grill is broken also and pushed in. I’m trying to pull the bumper back into place but it won’t move back.”
“No, no, don’t do that! Keep it the way it is. We’ll send out an adjuster to look it over. Is it drivable?”
“It should be, I haven’t gotten behind the wheel yet. Ah man, people stink – who would just drive away. I haven’t had this car a year yet and this happens.”
“This is your new car? You just got that a few months ago didn’t you?”
“Yup! Brand new to me.”
“Okay, so you weren’t in the vehicle and you’re not hurt?”
“Yah, to both question.”
This stinks I thought. As all the serenity is gone out of my body and this is where it gets even squirrelier.
Hold it together, I thought to myself. You headed out to get a bite to eat and stopped at a meeting to get some serenity before heading back to the office. What the heck man! People stink!
“What’s wrong with some people?” I asked my Agent.
“I don’t know? But this happens more than it should I can tell you. Let’s take a look at what you have for coverage and we’ll go from there. Okay?”
“Okay, sure.”
“You still living at you current address?”
“Yes.”
“Great, and can you get me your license number?”
“You want my drivers’ license number?” I asked.
“No.” The one on your vehicle.”
“Okay.” As I take a step back and start reading off the numbers and stop.”
“These are not my numbers.” I said out loud.
Taking a step further back.
“This is not my car. What the heck man!” I added.
“So did you get hit or not?” My Agent asks.
With my head bent down I told him, “No Dan, this is not my car. I’m standing in front of someone else vehicle.”
Now who’s the squirrely one? I thought – this guy!
Good God man, I stopped here to get grounded from the crazies and I’m the biggest one!
“Dan, I’m really sorry I bothered you about this.”
As I take a step back to finally notice that my car, MY car – the one I own is right behind the vehicle I’m standing in front and the only thing that looks the same is the color, other than that, that’s it.
What the hell man!
“Are you okay?” My Agents asks.
“Yah, other than feeling like an ass, I’m fine.”
Who would do something like this? I think to myself. This guy, that’s who.
“So it’s not your vehicle, right?”
“Right.”
“And you’re okay?”
“Yup, just a bit squirrely.”
“Well that’s good, right?”
“Right as rain, Dan.” As I head over to my car to look it over and low-and-behold no dents or scratches. Just the way I left it.
What the heck man? As I start my car up and head back to the office telling Dan one last time what an ass I feel like. Thinking that, yup – I’m the biggest crazy of them all, as I pull into the parking lot thinking, I do belong here and it all ended up The Way it was Supposed to Be…