A Chance Encounter...

I would normally take a shortcut to Alli's school.
A hilly shortcut route.
I would not say that I am a fan of the hilly road saves for the fact that it would save me time.
I would not have to stop at the numerous traffic lights that just can't seem to stop mushrooming.

This afternoon the road was a bit crowded much to my liking.
I saw from my rear mirror that a car was trailing behind, another much to my liking.
In front there are a few cars manoeuvering ever so slowly so as not to graze at each other's body. I do not need this.
Not at all.

I drove slowly to let the car from the opposite lane to pass through when I noticed that one car was flashing its headlights.
I drove ever slowly as the Ipsum's sensor was beeping furiously.
Only then I noticed the car's number.
He stopped his car.
I stopped my car.
I rolled down my window as he rolled down his.
It was Sean.

Sean held out his hand.
I automatically held out mine.
We shook hands.

Sean : Happy Mother's Day...
Self : (I was a tad surprise with that greeting)...thank you...
Self : Sean, I haven't...
Sean : (looking in front of him)...you still have my number...
Self : Yes (looking behind me)...
We nodded at each other and drove away.

I met Sean in early January.
I did not know him from Adam.
He did not know me from Eve.
It was a chance encounter.
Sean's muscular Toyota had accidently gave a soft nudge on Ms Ip's bumper.
Ms Ip suffered a slight injury.

...broken paint and small gap at the boot...lucky the brake light is spared from damage...

...Ms Ip lost one of her 5 sensors...

I am thankful that we did not make a scene.
There were no screaming matches.
There were no kicking at the tyres.
We behaved like a lady and a gentleman.
We did not request for each other's IC.
We did not request for each other's driving licence.
He consulated somebody over the phone.
I consulted hubby over the phone.
We exchanged our cell's no.
I punched his car number into my cell.
We agreed to contact each other.
We parted amicably.

I was forever thankful for that.

I mean to meet a stranger on a misfortunate incident is not high on anyone's agenda, much less me.

Worst things could have happened.

I mean who would in their right mind purposely hit on another car.

I guess no matter how careful we are there are just things that are beyond our control.

Accidents do happen.

And when they happen, we would blame it on recklessness most often than not.

I would have thought that Sean was reckless.

But then I was myself reckless before.

Been there, done that.

Rewind a few years back...

It was early morning and I was driving home after sending the girls to school.

I did not know what happened.

I did not know how it happened.

For the life of me, I swore I did not see the car.

I was at an intersection when it happened.

It was just a few metres away from home.

I was making a right turning when I heard a loud bang.

I was jolted but I still drove on.

I did not even see the car.

I only stopped when I heard a dragging sound.

The prado just hit a kancil.

When I reversed the car, the lady inside could not even get out from her door.

The impact of the collision damaged the driver's door badly and she had to go out from the passenger's door.

Both of us exited our car.

Lady : Kamu ndak nampak ka saya tadi...

Self : (still in a daze)....sorry, sorry (apologizing profusely)

Lady : Nasib saya ndak apa-apa...

Self : Sorry, sorry...(the only appropriate thing to say)

We agreed to go to the nearest police station to settle the matter.

We did not exchange any personal details.

I still remember some parts of that incident as vividly as I remembered the green flourescent-like Ascis shirt hubby wore on our first meeting 16 years ago.

I rememberd wearing my purple sleeveless shirt.

As a rule, I would not get out from the car wearing sleeveless shirt.

That rule was broken that morning.

I remembered wearing my old short knee pants.

I was very thankful for that coz at times I would just drove the girls to school in my sarong!

I remembered that hubby has to report duty at the Karamunsing head office.

He was just transferred back from Sandakan.

Talked about bad timing.

I remembered waking up my brother and asked him to accompany me to the police station.

We went to the Karamunsing police station, it was the wrong station.

We went to the old station at downtown KK.

The lady was nowhere in sight, nor was her car.

I waited and left after a while.

I thought she would know how to locate me as the security guard at the building near the accident told her that my father is the Village Head at my place.

She would have no problem to trace me.

When I arrived at the office in the afternoon after sending my girls home, one of my collegue told me that a seargent from the police station wanted me to return call.

The seargant told me that the lady has filed a police report after waiting for a long time for me to turn up.

I was looking for her outside.

She was already inside.

The seargant further told me that lucky he could trace me as he would have to issue a warrant of arrest should I failed to report the accident that day.

I grabbed my car keys, gave my statement and paid the summon on time.

I gave the lady a call and gave my assurance that I have done the necessary on my part.

The insurance took care everything.

Back to Sean...

We met again during one weekend at Sean's friend's workshop.

Hubby could not join me as he had to attend a training, would you believe it, training on a Saturday.

While there, I was a bit worried as they kept conversing in Chinese.

But I guess I worried for nothing.

Sean instructed his friends to bill him for all the repair done.

I was to only bring Ms Ip back to his friend's workshop.

I agreed to take Ms Ip the next weekend for her treatment.
However, weekend turned into another weekend.
Month turned into another month.
I have yet to send Ms Ip to the workshop.
Ms Ip's bumper needs to be dismantled and respray.
Since I do not have a spare ride, the thought of driving Ms Ip without her bumper is something I do not look forward to.
So I procrastine, still do.
I did not hear from Sean after that.
We are incommunicado.
Until today.

Our chance meeting today gave me the much needed relief.
Relief that our arrangement still stand.
Relief that this young man did not abscond from his responsibility.

Sean...
If you are reading this...

Give my regards to your mum...
Tell her, Happy Belated Mother's Day...
Tell her, she has raised a responsible and fine young man...

Note to self : Should in future I encounter this sort of situation (palis, palis, touchwood)...get all the details right...we never know...malang itu tidak berbau...bukan semua orang baik...just need to get that in my head...