Did you ever do something really stupid? Make an error that had the potential to cause a horrible outcome, yet fate shined on you and saved you from sure catastrophe ?
I did, a few years ago. I’ve told this story before in comments, some may remember it...
I do some doorbelling. I’ve been a Precinct Committee Officer for 11 years, and I’ve walked my precinct at least twice every year. I also canvass in other parts of the city and the county for a variety of causes in addition to the regular election cycles.
Our legislative district is safe and we always send a full contingent of progressive Democrats to the city, county and to the state legislature. And though King County is blue, areas outside of the city of Seattle can be competitive. So it behooves we who live in highly progressive areas to assist in places that could maintain or preferably, tip the balance of power in the state to our favor. It is typical to see many from districts in the city head out into the broader county.
The previous three years there have been important elections in a district 25 miles to the south. Our organization “adapted” that legislative district. Some of us went down to doorbell as did Democrats from other areas. We lost in the first two years, but in 2016, we all hit pay dirt and ousted two incumbent Republicans.
The main city in the 30th LD is the suburban city of Federal Way. Windy roads and cul-de-sacs are the rule in many areas. Huggybear Courts, Lois Lanes, Buena Vue Drives. And just to make things interesting, a few lakes and a golf course or two are plopped down randomly in the middle of everything. Much different then my home turf, a typical north/south grid.
In 2014 I went down several times to doorbell for a state senate race against a turncoat Dem.
I like canvassing with a partner if I can, and several times that year I went with a friend of mine. He’s an old Jewish guy, a retired pile driver. (His mom was a fine artist and his dad was an English professor, but he chose a career in construction…go figure.) Smart guy, well-read and is currently learning Chinese. And he’s always looking to get his 10,000 steps in.
But the last time that year, I went down by myself. I was given a area to walk not far from the campaign office; a mix of apartments and houses. I hit most of the doors, but there were a couple of sheets with dead-end streets I was unable to find.. So I drove around to locate them. I was able to find one street, and I pulled over to the side of the road to peruse the walk list, and yep, sure enough there were two of my houses on that cul-de-sac. I hit the first house…nobody home. The second house I talked to the folks. East Indian, and were supportive to our candidate.
I made the required ranking on the walk list as I walked down the driveway. Across the street I saw a dark gray Corolla, just like mine. I didn’t think much about that at first because there are many, many dark gray Corollas just like mine.
I noticed that it was right up against the front fender of another car. “Gee, that’s a funny way to park” I thought. I turned to walk back up the street to my car...AND IT WAS GONE!
It took me a half-second to come to the realization that the car oddly-parked car across the street was mine!
There wasn’t much of a slope to the street, but was just steep enough to coax it into motion.
While I sitting in the car and going over my walk list, I left the car in neutral (manual transmission) and did not set the hand brake. I forgot to rectify those conditions when I left the car. And since I didn’t turn the wheels into the curb, it gently rolled about a block and across to the other side of the street, coming to rest against that other vehicle. Had the vector been slightly different, it could have missed the car and continued to roll right into one of the houses at the end of the cul-de-sac. Boy, was I ever thankful for that as I ran across the street!
I examined the scene. Fortunately there was little damage. But still it was not a good situation.
Then I noticed…the other car had flat tires, and there was grass growing around the wheels. It was a wreck long before I came to add my bit to it!
I looked around, and there wasn’t a soul to be seen. So I quickly got in the car and got out of the hell out of there...And thanked a higher power.
Have you ever really screwed up...yet lucked out of any serious consequences ?
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