January 28, 2009

I'm Lookin' at You

I stayed home today because of the ice, even though our office closings follow the federal government, and it wasn't closed today. I figured the main roads were ok, but the back road--my house to the bus lot, and the lot itself--would be like they were last night. Last night I saw something upsetting, although in comparison to what else goes on in the world, it was minor, I suppose. Still, where do people get the audacity to crap on other people and then go their merry way with nary a backward glance? It had snowed lightly all day while I was at work yesterday, and by evening the snow had changed into sleet and freezing rain. The bus picked us up, made its cautious way home and dropped us at the bus lot around 7:30. Our cars were covered with snow and ice, and there were about 25 of us, scraping and brushing. The lot itself was icy, but not falling-down icy, just slushy and freezing puddles. I was one of the last people out of the lot, and I was sitting in the car, waiting for the defroster to do its thing and idly looking at the only other person left in the lot, cleaning off his big truck. It was one of the military guys we pick up at the Pentagon; I could see that he was wearing camos and the beret, but couldn't see which one he was. He got done, hopped in the truck, put it in reverse, turned the wheel and crashed into the little car next to him. He hit that car so hard it moved it sideways. The truck stopped, he got out and inspected the car, and I'm thinking good, write a note and leave it on the windshield--it was an accident. But he got back in the truck and drove off, passing by my car and cutting off his headlights as he did so (by then I'd turned my headlights on, so he knew someone was in the car). So I couldn't get his license tag? Why else would you turn off your headlights to drive off? I feel so terrible--I could probably identify the truck, but lots of people drive them, it's a big lot, it was dark, and everything was covered in snow and ice. I didn't have my wits about me to follow him out to the road--he was moving pretty fast. I felt so sorry for the guy who would alight from the next bus, go to scrape his car and discover the damage. I couldn't see the damage in the dark, but there HAD to be something, as hard as it was hit. I thought of writing the guy a note, but what would I say? "I sort of saw who hit you, but I couldn't see well enough to tell you who it was or what they were driving, exactly." The only thing I can hope is that Mr. Military Man in a Monster Truck did the right thing when he got home (although he didn't jot down the license tag) and called his insurance company or the sheriff. Right. Maybe what I should hope is that he didn't sleep very well last night thinking about the person who saw him do the wrong thing. Hitting someone else's car--understandable. Dimming your lights to make a getaway: chilling. Have you ever heard of that book, The Sociopath Next Door? I'm going to be looking for him over the next little while...

Anyway, this is what I accomplished on A Garden Grew. I forgot to mention that the Lakeside Linen color is "bittersweet." The biggest challenge of this thing is the counting. I've had to frog out some stuff already.

And I felt moved to pick up "Dorothy's Garden" and do a little work on it also. Mmmmm--silk.

"I'm lookin' at you."

"Oh, wait. Now I'm lookin' at you and I can see. Thanks for the haircut, even if it does make me less cute."

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a softie!

Siobhán said...

Your WIPs look beautiful! YGG! As for the hit & run guy (because that is what it is!), I am a firm believer in karma, what goes around, comes around.

LivnLaf said...

Mean people suck and to think he is an honorable military person who deserves respect.

quiltcat said...

I can understand your upset. It's not too far from there to oh, we just dropped a bomb on a bunch of civilians and we won't 'fess up 'til someone reports it.

I was able to switch my telecommuting day from Friday to today, so i could stay home AND get a bunch o' work done. Hope your commute is o.k. tomorrow.

Your works in progress are beautiful...and Elvis is so cute with his long hair and then haircut.

Tammy said...

Sadly, that story doesn't surprise me. I used to commute to DC on the bus, and saw some weird stuff too. Is that pink fabric on your garden project? It's so beautiful and it's coming along so nicely!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Pretty creepy....what are you going to do if you recognize the perp? Elvis sure looks like he's all eyes LOL what a funny boy he is.

Spinning Beauty said...

Yes, I agree with Siobhan, what goes around comes around eventually. Your progress on A Garden grew is great. I love the lakeside bittersweet color!

Anonymous said...

I agree with the others--what comes around, goes around, but seeing that must have been terribly upsetting.
A Garden Grew looks great as does Dorothy's Garden.
I love stitching with silk too. :)

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Hi hon! Your stitching looks wonderful and Elvis is always adorable

Theresa said...

Sad story.... I can understand your upset.... I too believe what goes around, comes around.

Your projects are coming along beautifully~ And your bunny is just tooo cute~

Sandra said...

Maybe you will see the hit and run guy another time, if he parks there and you could jot down his licence plate, just in case you also see the poor guy whose car was hit. That would annoy the hell out of me, I hate injustice and the way some people think they can get away with stuff like that. Elvis is so cute!!

Laura said...

A Garden Grew is lovely! A perfect springlike project for this time of the year. I don't know what I would have done with the hit-and-run guy either. It is just too bad people can be like that, particulary someone in uniform. Oh, and Elvis still looks adorable with his haircut.

Anonymous said...

LOL, I love your bunny pics.

I am a big believer in Karma. What goes around comes around, but perhaps you could still help that guy get what's coming to him. If the guy was in military fatigues, then finding him could be as easy as waiting until he parks there again and then getting his number.

I keep coming back to it again and again, those bees on Garden Grew are just adorable!

mainely stitching said...

That's really a rotten thing to see-but-not-see (not well enough to make an ID). I feel so bad for the person whose car was smashed into.

Love Elvis' haircut. He is still supercute!

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Mean people suck. I had someone do that to me once. It was the only brand new (as opposed to new-to-me) car I had ever owned and the very first month I had it some bastard hit it in a parking lot and drove off, no note or anything. The cost of the repair was less than the deductible and higher than I could afford, so for the entire life of that car, it had a dented rear quarter-panel.

I can only hope someone's karma bit them good and hard.

And FTR, Elvis is a cutie, eyes hidden or not! :-)

RG said...

Aw that Elvis .. he is great, hidden eye or not. Zoey can be the same way sometime!

Life is sure a lot of opportunites to make hard decisions. That guy made the wrong one and for sure it will always be there. Hopefully he will pay it back double sometime and get it off his back.

Carolyn NC said...

Hi Glenna,
Thanks for the post to my blog! I so identify with you about the crash. This happened to my son after being at the library all night at college. He came out at 6:00 with the back of his truck bashed in from someone flying down the street. They even left their bumper there! I call it straight out cowardice! Your stitching is gorgeous. I really love Dorothy's Garden, especially!

The Scarlett House said...

Gosh Glenna, what a story! That would really bother me to witness something like that, too. I'm glad he didn't hit you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for coming by! We've only had Mr B since October, so one haircut so far and right now the hair is sitting in a shoebox waiting to be spun - I've never spun and a friend of mine said she'd do it for me. How about you, what do you do?

Anonymous said...

Hey, nice cut!

Michelle said...

I would be upset too after witnessing such a thing. And this guy is a real jerk, and clearly knew that what he was doing was wrong. You Gardens both look beautiful. I intend to pick up Dorothy now that I've finished with Jane Austen. Wish me luck!