Unk Decemberists song playing @ Starbucks

So! 9am today I am on the 10 freeway East and in stop and go traffic. I am listening to the new Dawn and Drew podcast.

And when I stopped the woman behind me didn't.

All of a sudden it's like I'm at the beach and my car is lifted up and thrown into the car ahead of me by a massive wave. My neck hurts. The tea that was in the cupholder infront of me near the floor is suddenly all over the car. My glasses are off my head at an angle. my cellphone is somewhere on the floor. And Dawn and Drew are still talking about sheep's balls and how big they are. So my iPod came through just fiine. Hoorah. It took me a while to figure out how to turn off my car and my iPod. Then for a few minutes the three of us just sat in our cars in the #2 lane while all the other cars fought their way around us, honking.

And the whole time (well, after the first few minutes, when I was really freaked out and crying and trying to find everything in my car) I thought of the plaintiff in the court case I was a juror on, Mr. Melendez, and how he's in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. And he can't move around. He can't lift his hands. He can't irritate his wife by coming up behind her when she's trying to put on her makeup and caress her breasts and nuzzle her neck.

And so I thank God for my life and my health and I enjoy the whole process of being able to photograph the damage to my car and to the other cars. I send kind and comforting vibes to the woman who rearended me. When I see her business card says she's in design, I ask her what shedoes. She tells me she's an interior architect. She offers to do my place next time I remodel. The woman I was pushed into happens to work at the building next to mine. We make small talk. I'm standing on the side of the freeway socializing. Life is good. Life is so good.

And now I am on hold with my health insurance trying to get a live person so I can get a referral to an urgent care. And my girlfriend is coming to this Starbucks to hang out and help me. And I'll be able to hold her and nuzzle her neck in public and embarrass her. How can God not have me in the palm of Her hand? How can I not be incredibly lucky?