Busted

Yesterday morning, as I was settling in to work, my cell phone rang. It was Bob.

"I totaled my car."

What?! I said it loud enough that two people came over to my office. I remember asking if Lili was ok, and then if he was ok. He said they were fine but I needed to come get them.

My wonderful co-workers offered to take me but I said I was fine. I was upset but definitely still functional.

They had just left home. It was 8 in the morning on a winter day and they were headed east. East, in the morning, in the winter. I'm not sure if you've noticed but the sun shines right into your eyes at that time of day and creates the worst glare ever. And Bob couldn't see well so he ran into the back of a big suburban. And now the car that was the first one I ever bought, the car I loved so much, is totaled.

It's funny how we grow so attached to inanimate objects. We never named her but she had personality. I wondered if she felt any pain. It was hard to see the front of her so crumpled. It was hard to see all the bits of glass and plastic still on the road. Lili remarked that one of the eyes was gone. She also told me the car was a girl. Funny.

And the tow truck came and took her away (the car, not Lili). We will probably get enough from selling the scrap and the wheels to pay for the ticket. Luckily, there was very little damage to the suburban and the guy driving it wasn't hurt. But now we are out of a car and can't really afford to get a new one. Or even a decent used one.

It will all work out, I know. But it's stressful. And this happened on the same day my sister emailed me asking for me and all the kids to be in her wedding in March. Money, money, money. We don't have it. And my sister wants us all there so bad she offered to help pay for some of the cost to get there. She probably doesn't have any money either, though. My parents are paying for the wedding (I assume) so I don't feel right asking them for help either.

What to do? What to do?