Story

I've started writing a story and it's been keeping my few spare moments pretty busy. I was thinking of publishing it here, but I'm still feeling insecure about it. It's possible that it's just more self indulgent drivel. So I'll tell you a real life story.

Yesterday there was a car accident on 8th at the corner of Main. I was upstairs at the time that I heard the crash and didn't think much of it because there are accidents out there almost daily. It's the vortex of bad driving on 8th between the ally by the shop and Main. People do some of the most idiotic things I've ever seen and they drive fast......Let alone fast for Vancouver. Seriously, people rarely even hit the speed limit out here (Dane and I got a car recently and I've been re-introduced to Vancouver driving). Finally I decided to look out the window to see what was going on. There were two cars that met nose to nose on our side of the street. It looked like they were both trying to get into the same spot and they hit on maybe a 45 degree angle. One car was a convertible and I could see that there was a guy in there looking stunned and shaking his head. A small crowd had gathered and were talking to him, everyone was on cell phones and Elaine was taking some photo's incase they would need them. I got myself ready to get back to work and headed down stairs. Walking past everyone seemed fine; there was a fire crew throwing dirt on the coolant coming out of the convertible and a fireman was talking to the guy in the car who looked really shaken up. I asked if everyone was o.k. They were so I rounded the corner and got coffees for Dane and I.

On my way back Elaine was helping a girl get her luggage into a cab and the girl was thanking her profusely calling her a lifesaver and an awesome person...all of which is true. After the girl was off and on her way I asked Elaine what the story was. Apparently the girl that got in the cab was leaving Vancouver and going back to Winnipeg forever, she had just broken up with the girl whose car it was and was driving her to the airport. The two had just split after a three year relationship and this was how they had to say good bye.

I was going downtown and Elaine came with me. As we were leaving we walked past the girl with the wrecked car and Elaine asked if she needed anything, she was smoking a cigarette and in tears. We offered her some Valium, she said she couldn't because she's an alcoholic and couldn't take any kind of substances. That felt like the punchline if accidents had punchlines.