The sudden ear splitting sound of a car accident can make your heart stop. Even worse is the seconds that feel like hours when you assess your body between the sounds, airbag, and shock. I have had my share of car accidents. Too many to count. This is why my dad always conjured up beater cars for me to drive around while I was attending school in Oswego. Cheap cars that were semi-reliable and could absorb the shock of a mishap.
A funny thing about the plethora of cars that I owned was that twice I owned a 1993 Dodge Dynasty. The first one was yellow. It had a car starter, cost me $450 for the beauty. I had that car for a couple of years when one day, Luke and I picked up Bill in Lowville (a dear old friend), and we took a spontaneous trip to Boston, MA. 45 miles before Boston, the transmission goes. It was very sad leaving my car in Boston and taking a bus home. The next 1993 Dodge Dynasty was Teal. This one also had a car starter. This car was the most reliable car I have ever owned. It had 50,000 miles on it, and cost me $300. I drove this car for years, it was always toasty in the winter and frosty in the summer. I grew to LOVE this car. I decided that when I graduated college and found a teaching job, that I would not buy a new car, but stay with my loyal, beautiful Dynasty.
Two weeks into student teaching and four weeks after giving birth to Alex, I was on my way to Carthage Central School to student teach with my middle school Math Teacher. Six am. Arsenal St. The only vehicles on the road are myself and a red truck in the lane next to me traveling in the same direction. I was thinking I had time, I was early, I could drive slow and enjoy it. The next thing that happens is the red truck in the lane to my left decides to do a U turn, crossing over my lane, forcing me to hit him, my head-his side on. I had a milli-second to say "oh shit". crash. glass. smoosh. airbag. I taste blood in my mouth. Sucked.
My car was almost 10 years old and it saved me. Loyal to the end. Ambulance to the hospital. Brandon arrives apologetic that he couldn't wake up and answer my calls from my car. I have bruises in places that I didn't know existed. Fat lip.
My ex father-in-law worked over the insurance company guy like a champ. I got almost $5000 for that car along with my hospital visit. A great down payment for the mini van I have to this day.
Moral of the story: Dynasty's are awesome.
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