I waited apprehensively for the phone call to come. I just knew I was going to need a lawyer to explain to those ladies that I had not hit the bloody couple with my car- that the blood on my car was from them, but through no fault of mine! What would I say if the police called?
...............................................1 hour earlier................................................
I had decided to take a short lunch break and swing into Target to look for some shoes. After 20 minutes I was headed to my car and approaching it from the passenger side. I suddenly noticed a slight commotion and a couple of people next to the driver side door of my car. Someone was on the ground and another person was kneeling over them as a third walked toward them with a bunch of paper towels.
I slowed, curious to see what was going on and wondering if I was going to be delayed in leaving. As I rounded my car I noticed a man bending over an older woman who was sitting on the ground. The back of the man's knee was splattered with blood. I nervously asked, "Um, excuse me, is everything ok?" The man bending over the woman was startled to hear a voice less than 10 feet from behind him and turned to glance back at me. As he moved I saw the woman's face- her chin was covered in blood.
The man with the paper towels reached the hood of my car and answered for them: "She fell. Everything's ok. Is this your car?"
I had many thoughts running through my head and was trying to figure out what to do next. "Yes. Is there anything I can do?"
"No, we've got it." The man with paper towels said.
"Here, let's get the blood off your car," said the man who'd been bending over the woman. I was shocked to hear that and to see him wiping blood off my car. Noticing my look he said, "She tried to stand up using your mirror."
Suddenly it occured to me that I might be able to help. "I have a first aid kit we can use? Would that help?" I looked at the woman who looked dazed. My first concern was that she was all right.
The 'paper towel man' said, "No, we've really got this. You can go. Back up carefully though- staight back."
I felt like the little girl he was treating me. I acquiesced and climbed into my car. Using my blood-splattered mirror and my rear-view I began to back up. I had to brake for a young man who wanted to see what was going on and then again as a car stopped right behind me to gawk. Looking at them through my bloody mirror I saw the condemning looks of the two elderly ladies in the fancy car. I shrugged and tried to back up a bit to goose them into action. They glared at me and then continued on.
Once I'd backed up I paused for about 30 seconds to watch a woman and the two original men trying hard to help the bloody woman stand. She fell twice, but with the help of the fourth young man they got her on her feet. Suddenly, the same fancy car with the two old ladies who'd hindered me from backing out came flying through a break in the parked cars and whipped in front of me. The driver was on the phone and she was talking angrily while looking at my car. Confused I looked at her just in time to see her angry, accusing eyes looking back. It was then that it hit me: "They think that I hit those people with my car!!!!" I shook my head wanting to explain that I hadn't done anything. But how could I? I even had red evidence against me smeared and splattered on my car!
I had the glares of the two elderly women stuck in my mind as I drove back to the office.
I took pictures of the blood on my car and then used many clorox wipes to scrub off the blood. There was more than I'd thought there'd been. When my car was blood-free, I spent the afternoon with the light concern that I might be hearing from the police. Even though three people knew I was innocent, I was haunted by the judgemental looks of those two women! The drive home was a solid reminder that it had happened as the clorox made my sideview mirror foggy. I'm going to have to find something else to use to clean that.
I'm pretty sure now that I won't be hearing from police, but I did get a jury summons in the mail today. Second one this year...I'm questioning the 'lottery' system. Hope it isn't about a parking lot incident...
...............................................1 hour earlier................................................
I had decided to take a short lunch break and swing into Target to look for some shoes. After 20 minutes I was headed to my car and approaching it from the passenger side. I suddenly noticed a slight commotion and a couple of people next to the driver side door of my car. Someone was on the ground and another person was kneeling over them as a third walked toward them with a bunch of paper towels.
I slowed, curious to see what was going on and wondering if I was going to be delayed in leaving. As I rounded my car I noticed a man bending over an older woman who was sitting on the ground. The back of the man's knee was splattered with blood. I nervously asked, "Um, excuse me, is everything ok?" The man bending over the woman was startled to hear a voice less than 10 feet from behind him and turned to glance back at me. As he moved I saw the woman's face- her chin was covered in blood.
The man with the paper towels reached the hood of my car and answered for them: "She fell. Everything's ok. Is this your car?"
I had many thoughts running through my head and was trying to figure out what to do next. "Yes. Is there anything I can do?"
"No, we've got it." The man with paper towels said.
"Here, let's get the blood off your car," said the man who'd been bending over the woman. I was shocked to hear that and to see him wiping blood off my car. Noticing my look he said, "She tried to stand up using your mirror."
Suddenly it occured to me that I might be able to help. "I have a first aid kit we can use? Would that help?" I looked at the woman who looked dazed. My first concern was that she was all right.
The 'paper towel man' said, "No, we've really got this. You can go. Back up carefully though- staight back."
I felt like the little girl he was treating me. I acquiesced and climbed into my car. Using my blood-splattered mirror and my rear-view I began to back up. I had to brake for a young man who wanted to see what was going on and then again as a car stopped right behind me to gawk. Looking at them through my bloody mirror I saw the condemning looks of the two elderly ladies in the fancy car. I shrugged and tried to back up a bit to goose them into action. They glared at me and then continued on.
Once I'd backed up I paused for about 30 seconds to watch a woman and the two original men trying hard to help the bloody woman stand. She fell twice, but with the help of the fourth young man they got her on her feet. Suddenly, the same fancy car with the two old ladies who'd hindered me from backing out came flying through a break in the parked cars and whipped in front of me. The driver was on the phone and she was talking angrily while looking at my car. Confused I looked at her just in time to see her angry, accusing eyes looking back. It was then that it hit me: "They think that I hit those people with my car!!!!" I shook my head wanting to explain that I hadn't done anything. But how could I? I even had red evidence against me smeared and splattered on my car!
I had the glares of the two elderly women stuck in my mind as I drove back to the office.
I took pictures of the blood on my car and then used many clorox wipes to scrub off the blood. There was more than I'd thought there'd been. When my car was blood-free, I spent the afternoon with the light concern that I might be hearing from the police. Even though three people knew I was innocent, I was haunted by the judgemental looks of those two women! The drive home was a solid reminder that it had happened as the clorox made my sideview mirror foggy. I'm going to have to find something else to use to clean that.
I'm pretty sure now that I won't be hearing from police, but I did get a jury summons in the mail today. Second one this year...I'm questioning the 'lottery' system. Hope it isn't about a parking lot incident...
