Fender Bender

Well it's been a few days since my fender bender happened and it is still on my mind. "All things happen for a reason" is what I always say and so my thoughts stray to why did this happen to me? Well could it be that I have always wanted to fix the rear bumper too? Oh well...of all the cars I manage to hit in the rear...a police car. Unmarked at that. A 2003 Ford Expedition an Eddie Bauer classic. It is a huge SUV. Looks like a bus. And so my Honda Odyssey van goes ca---toosh! right into his bumper! I should have sustained much more damage and he too for all the bang we got in that one instant...but no...just a crunch here and a crunch there....minor stuff? A police report is made so I make a call to my State Farm insurance agent and she tells me that I have options....take care of it myself and she is sure to tell me that option is usually more costly...or go through Sate Farm who will get my vehicle fixed and my premiums will be increased by $120 for the next 3 years or $360 plus the $250 deductible I pay towards the repairs. On top of that they will pay for the police car repairs. Go figure! It's all logical! OK then...let us move forward! Right? I call hubby and all he hears is money, money, money! His reaction? Worse than the initial bang! So then I sit back and breathe and ask myself: Self? Do I have the space for this? What's in it for me? And then I remember oh fix my rear bumper too! So I go and take the van in for an estimate. Nishi's, a roadside body fender shop just off Kam Hwy. Quite small and charming I might add. A nice gal in the office looks at my van and I mention the rear bumper too and then a gentleman (? Nishi?) comes over and takes a digital picture of my damaged front bumper...talks to the gal and then off she goes on the computer! In seconds my estimate is in my hands. My van will be looking like new in one week for a mere cost of $1220.00 plus my $250.00 deductible! So in one week and $1500.00 out of pocket...I have learned that I may not have a savings account or an expensive wardrobe or even a tummy tuck, liposuction and face lift! But I do have my wonderful, beautiful (after the fix) van that has kept me safe (so far...knock on wood) and allows me to drive island wide to places that I totally love. So when I go to Bellows or Northshore or Hanauma Bay or Pokai Bay and Pray for Sex or even Tantalus, Peacock Flats and Aiea Loop Trail I will remember that these "priceless" journeys may have a hidden price I paid. Oh it's just another way to look at the "reason" this has happened....money comes and money goes....in my case it doesn't come as fast as it goes...enough!