Happy Bumper

Welcome home, my happy bumper! I have missed you!

I don't think I have mentioned it here, but my van was swiped by an elderly man trying to leave his parking space during our Girl Scout Cookie booth a couple weeks ago. I was walking towards it, with a cart laden with cookie cases. I could see another Sienna trying to back out, while my van rocked slightly. I said in a quiet, stunned voice, "I think he's hitting my van. I think he's hitting my van! He IS hitting my van! Oh, no, he's leaving. Oh - now he's going to hit her - watch out! Where's he going??" He drove around to another aisle to find a more accommodating parking space. I got to my van, and sure enough there were 3 big scrapes of paint all along the curve of my bumper. So I followed him, tapped on his window and told him he had hit my van. "No, I don't believe I did."

"Yes, I watched you. And you have a big scrape all down the side of your van. And my paint is right down the middle of that scrape."

"Well, I didn't hear anything, so I don't think I did that." I cringed, and wondered how hard to try to convince him before I called in some help. Some help in the form of flashing blue lights. Then a man pulled up who had witnessed the whole thing and was so kind to stay and be present while we exchanged information. So the man got out, and said, "Well, I'll be darned. I guess I did do that." Sheesh.

Anyway, today I got her back from the repair shop. She's so glad to be home. And she's feeling quite proud of the spiffy new shine on her rear end. I do think she was a few inches taller as I drove her home. And I think I even heard a sigh as we pulled safely into the garage.

Oh, wait. That was probably me.