Never in my life, can I recall having such a pleasant unpleasant experience as I did a few summers ago while I was an exterminator.
It was around 9 a.m. while driving the bug truck on a rainy, summer day. I was late for a job and to make up some time I cut through a parking lot. As I came around the bend in the road, directly in front of me was an SUV. Unfortunately when I attempted to brake, I hydroplaned and tagged the SUV’s driver’s side rear door.
We both pulled into a side lot to survey the damage. I took a deep breath waiting for the inevitable, an encounter with the irate driver. To my surprise, he was polite and cordial. There was no finger-pointing, screaming, or swearing. At first we were both a bit tentative, but when I simply admitted it was my fault, the tension eased. We then took care of the red tape, shook hands, and went our separate ways.
People tend to show their true nature when things go wrong and they become inconvenienced. The driver of the SUV had every reason to be frustrated and angry, but if he was, it didn’t show. He demonstrated kindness and compassion. I only hope that I would display the same gracious character if the roles were reversed.
“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon
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