I was once again reminded of the worst of human nature this week. Last Thursday morning, I pulled into the driveway of the house across from my house so I can back out and turn my truck around to go to work as I parked on the street alongside the curb in front of my house. As I was backing out at no more than 5 mph, the right rear bumper of my truck collided with the front left fender of a Jeep Liberty driven by a Mrs. G coming from my left. The speed limit on the residential street is 30 mph. I got out, made sure Mrs. G was ok, and then proceeded to exchange information with her. I offered her my insurance info and she started copying it. I asked for her insurance and she refused to give it to me until her husband got to the scene. That's ok, I silently told myself, she probably has never gotten into an accident. When Mr. G got to the scene, he asked whether I had called the police. I told him no since there were no injury but if he would like to, please go ahead. He made the call but no officer came. He told his wife to give me her insurance information and driver license. They spoke to each other in Spanish. We exchanged info. I would like to go to work after we finished exchanging information but he wanted me to wait until he could file the claim with his insurance. I accommodated him. From the very first get-go, I had determined to act in a manner that would reflect well upon my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Accident happened. It would be just an event in my whole life when I look back years from now. I know that God is more interested in the process of my character development, and that God allows things to happen in my life for that purpose. Mrs. G opened and closed the driver door at least three times, getting in and out of the car. There was no damaged to the door at all. The damage was just the fender and the plastic casing that attaches to the frame and surrounds the front left tire.

Mr. G called my cell phone and office number to harass me the afternoon of the next day, Friday, threatened to talk to his lawyer and sue me because he had called my insurance adjuster and she hadn't been able to return his call by then. He probably thought that I didn't know any better. Being involved in politics, I know more attorneys and judges than he could imagine. Today, when I was able to speak with my insurance adjuster after trading a couple of voicemails with her Thursday and Friday last week, I found out that Mr. G had claimed that his wife was driving at 20 mph but she had all kind of injury and the door to the SUV was damaged. That he couldn't close the door and couldn't roll up the windows. I wish I had gone into the house, taken my camera and taken the pictures of the damage.

I learned the lesson to drive more careful and take picture of the damage if possible next time. May God be the perfect judge between me and Mr. G. May God bless Mr. G and Mrs. G with the virtue of honesty since they are obviously lacking it.