You know the deep crunch when your car makes that impact?
That's what I heard two hours ago. When the puppy threw up all over the seat on the way back from the vet's and I turned my head for a second and plowed into two parked cars.
Yes, that sound. Time slows and then speeds up and you're just sitting there, your car is wrecked, and you're hyperventilating along to the pounding of your heart.
In NYC, the least little bit of bad news draws an enormous crowd. It doesn't matter if it's a shooting victim lying on the ground in his slowly pooling blood, or a woman sitting shocked and weeping in a wrecked car full of puppy barf. I will estimate conservatively that my malfeasance drew a crowd of fifty or so onlookers.
I will tell you that a lone good samaritan helped me crawl out of the car and patted my back as we waited for the police, for whom it must be said my devastation was a tiny mishap in the scheme of their long tour of duty; this being NYC after all.
And oh, did I mention that my puppy is revoltingly ill?
46 comments:
some days you wish you never woke up
hugs babe
Kylie, I swear to God I want to crawl under a rock and come out in a month or a year or ten.
xo
First of all - you ok? Upset, hyperventilating and all, but nothing broken or such - ja?
No other person hurt? Only bent metal I hope.
Crrap: Puppy puke on the seats and damaged cars. Oh dear. Could you drive home? Or did you have to walk home with pukey?
So sorry, Leah. Have a cigarette, calm down. Later things have to be done, phoning, writing letters, you know all that. But now relax please. I once smashed a car into another one, took me a good day to become myself again.
Oh Mago, thank you for the kind words. So much. And I admit, I did have a cigarette. Car had to be towed. Puppy had to be walked home. I am just hating life. I suppose a little self-pity isn't always a bad thing...
xo
Dear Leah, take it from a man who has had more than one run-in with other vehicles (the last one, most people were amazed I was still alive in the concertinaed mess of metal!) that tomorrow will be better. It will.
And so will puppy!
Hugs! :¬)
xxx
Maybe puppy bite the wrong book ...
Oh so sorry! That totally sucks. Sorry about the sick pooch and sorry about the car! I'll throw up for you...so sad.
Glad though, that you can walk! That noise that you refer to? It is the worst. Hugs to you.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery for you and the puppy.
leah-aww I am so sorry--I know how you feel because just last week and rolled into the back of car--it was a second and there it was..I was mortified...the good news is you are ok. I hope the puppy feels better soon. Max got carsick until he was about two but very conveniently would lean over and get sick on the floor of the car--here's hoping that you and the puppy are walking in the sunshine tomorrow...c
Thank goodness that you are both surviving the ordeal. Cars can be replaced. People and puppies can't..
Puppies have the most impeccable timing when it comes to throwing up!
"Sir Fred" was a real trooper when it came to the "up chucking stakes".
I would frequently find the evidence on the way to the loo in the dark.
There is nothing like a warm wet foot in the early hours of the morning to arouse one from stumbling sonambulation!
Totally get it, my pup (ok, he's 9, but still my puppy) got sick in the back of my car. Glad neither of you are hurt, hope your bf in training feels better soon!
Honey, I'm so sorry. I hope the little guy is not seriously ill.
Gah, the jangles after a car accident. Not fun. I hope you've had yourself a whiskey by now and are feeling at least a bit better.
Funny what you say about gawkers - accidents here in L.A., we just glance and maybe curse a bit and then try and get around them and away as quickly as possible. ("There, but for the grace..." you know.)
xoxo
Are you okay? I mean, physically? And the pup, is she okay? Well, thank God for that. It's awful, but at this point it's all just bent metal and vomit. Hope New York's Finest were a help and that you put this behind you quickly.
oh my...glad you are all right...and hope the pup gets to feeling better soon!
First, sorry Pup is ill.
Second, I am glad you are all right.
Third, NYC is an interesting place where 50 people will come to look but only 1 helps. I am sure that those 50 people are not bad or heartless ( not all of them anyway). But, it is almost like a spectator sport at that point. They are thinking like spectators. They would no more get involved in your drama than take the field at a Yankees game.
Okay, I don't know anything about it, but that is kinda what it looks like from here.
Fourth, still glad you are okay.
Oy... honey, that's one seriously crappy day. I'm glad you are okay, even if your nerves aren't. The car's a car... it can be fixed. Is pup okay? Some do get motion sick... poor both of you! ((hugs))
Looking through the tangled mess of both wrecked car and authors nerves, I cannae help but see your feminine side growing just that little bit more attractive as time goes on.
Soothing words and strong reassuring arms are required to take away your angst my dear.
Until your man reaches home, have mine instead hen.
JB x
Poor Leah - and I mean that most sincerely. Next time please go with the family:)
Oh Leah, I feel for you.
I hope things are better today and that the pup is improving.
Sx
stew: I woke up feeling not as despairing...it is reassuring to know that others have had accidents. Isn't that stupid of me? Of course they have. But I felt like such an ass, like I was the only one in the universe...
mago: I am missing my copy of Sartre's "Nausea" so possibly that was it!
merely me: you're right--the only thing that's important is that everyone could walk away...isn't that noise the very worst? It is bone-chilling, absolutely feels like the end of the world. In reality, this was a minor accident (although not for my car, but still).
xl: thank you sweetie.
C: thank you for sharing your own story of shame! Mortified is one of several words I'd use for what I felt in the aftermath of my momentary distraction...hopefully today will be better. Although it is sweater weather again here in Brooklyn!
Princess: There is nothing like a warm wet foot in the early hours of the morning to arouse one from stumbling sonambulation!
haha!!!! your comment cheered me up so much, it was hilarious and soooo true.
Hoodchick: my bf in training! I like that. I interpreted it first as boyfriend in training. : )
Megan: I had a stiff drink and a smoke--serious jangles all evening. Combined with guilt and shame, not pretty. Plus the puppy was still barfing. Ugh and double ugh. Today might be better...
You know, the funny thing is, on the local highways an accident will garner no more than a glance, but an accident or happenstance on the Brooklyn streets will draw a crowd of oglers every time. It was beyond annoying!!!
UB: we are totally fine, thank goodness. Not so much the poor wrecked car. The front end crumpled like a piece of paper...amazingly, the damage to the cars I hit was minimal to almost non-existent. The NYPD was awesome--fast, professional, and kind.
Brian: thanks--we are good--and the puppy seems better today! I'd forgotten how truly gross puppies can be...again, there's the toddler comparison!
Sounds like a day to forget (just after you blog about it - I mean, let's not waste a moment unnecessarily...!)
Tracey: I read your comment with such great interest, and I fully agree--fifty people, one kind stranger--the stats on that one are dreadful. In fact, much as I love living in Brooklyn, that moment gave me serious pause. I looked around through my tears at the gathering crowd of staring, pointing strangers all excited to see some little bit of misfortune, all discussing it avidly and with obvious enjoyment, and I must say I felt sick. This was not Brooklyn at its best.
I told Sarge about it, and he played for me this Eddie Murphy sketch called "Hit by a Car" about Brooklyn that really summed it up perfectly.
Ponita: Puppy seems better today, I think (I hope). It was such a sucky day that today just has to be better! I think my puppy gets motion sick, but he didn't feel well either on top of that. Ah, the vicissitudes of our four-legged friends!
Jimmy: What a comforting comment. Sometimes it is nice to just be the girl in a situation, and I accept your kind offer without hesitation!
Pat: I think my fearless driving has taken a hit though...it may be awhile before I get behind that wheel...
Scarlet: I think today is better...it would have to be...thank you my dear.
Matthew: hooray for blogging catharsis, right? But truly, it will be forgotten sometime probably not too far in the future...
Do not stop driving now.
mago, you're right. It's like getting back on the horse, right?
So sorry--that is truly a hard day. Hope things look up soon.
Wo! 'I am really hating life,' blimey, I've been away for a while and I think I need to read up on your posts.
John, thanks--it SO sucked, but things are better today--better-ish anyway!
Mark, so cool to see you! But no worries, I'm not totally hating life in general--just a crappy crappy day coloring my perspective! Hope you're good!
Very sorry to hear that, what a nightmare. Fortunately I've never had a serious car accident, more through luck than judgment as I'm pretty scatty at the best of times.
The main thing is that you and puppy weren't hurt, and once you've got over the shock and the car is put right you'll be back to normal. I hope puppy recovers his health soon.
:-[
i hope you and puppy are both recovering
Nick--you're right. If someone had been hurt, it would've been a truly different thing. In this case, it was just a fucked bumper. I will count my blessings. By the way, the puppy (Remus) is back in the full bloom of annoying rambunctious health!!! xo
Lettuce--we're okay--puppy anyway, I'm still trying to regain my sense of equilibrium! thanks sweetie.
Remus - Son of Lupa Romana, brother of Romulus.
Remus? That's a strange coincidence, as we had a Scottish terrier called Remus when I was a kid. And no, the one we had before that wasn't called Romulus but McTavish!
No fun. Glad you and the puppy were able to walk away though.
Oh, no!!!
I am so sorry about the wreck and the sick pup, but I am very glad you were not (seriously) injured. :(
I hope the pup and car are feeling better soon.
***HUG***
oh! that is a bad day! things can only get better!
I am so sorry to hear about this Leah. I am glad to know that you are OK. Hope everything is better now and take care.
Hope things are looking up for you now Leah...
(Jimmy sent me - you know why ;-)
Remus! I like it!!!
Hi Leah,
Yuck! Bad enough for one of those, but two misfortunes in the same day. Hope your insurance company gets things put straight for your ride and that your puppy gets to feeling better soon.
Best wishes,
Skeeter
I'm so so sorry to read this!!! Hope the pup's better now, and how is the car?
A time machine would be a useful invention.
I just happened onto your blog from Sepia Saturday. I hope Puppy is better. Sorry about your accident. Bad enough to have a sick Puppy, worse to have a crash.
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