A glorious day!

There was a car accident today at the intersection of Hazeldean Road and Carp Road in Stittsville.  A small car was half-way through the intersection pointing northwards on the Carp Road.  Its front end was mutilated, seemingly having collided with by an SUV traveling eastward on Hazeldean Road. The SUV was through the light but turned onto its passenger side adjacent the sidewalk on the southerly edge of Hazeldean Road. There was obvious damage but no evidence of catastrophic injury. The police cruisers (at least four of them) were everywhere, lights flashing, blocking regular passage.

It’s always dispiriting to imagine what shock people must suffer from such regrettable and precipitous incidents. The effect flows outside the crucible of disaster into the atmosphere and contaminates those who see it. Naturally the disenchantment is not tactile but it is most certainly gloomy. It made me wonder how might I have handled the dismay.  My only conclusion apart from Sh*t Happens was that one mustn’t allow oneself to be overcome by menace. I know we all make fun of the Don’t Worry, Be Happy logo but frankly I’m not sure I can usefully contradict its design with any better objective.

In the result, I persisted to pursue my own trifling enterprise for the day. I got the car gassed and washed, vacuumed the interior and trunk of the vehicle then put the front floor mats through the automatic cleaner. Earlier at home I had already accomplished my bit of daily exercise upon my tricycle throughout the neighbourhood, during which I had stopped at Fairview Manor to play the piano. While tricycling in the area I saw a woman (dressed in nursing garb) about to enter the premises. I asked if I might be allowed to enter with her to play the piano.  She of course understood that I hadn’t the code to gain entry.

Before I had departed the apartment to go to Stittsville for the car wash I telephoned On Star to enquire why My Cadillac App was not working properly. It didn’t record the current mileage, tire pressure, oil life, fuel level or other diagnostics. It is a petty concern because I seldom use the App.  But I can’t tolerate unwelcome superfluity. It was as you might expect a prolonged undertaking.  I started with the Help Centre (Cadillac Support) from which, after waiting some time to be connected, I promptly and inadvertently disconnected myself when the agent put me on hold while attempting to transfer my call to another agent. When I got connected once again, and after being transferred once again, and after the agent had attempted several resolves but without success, he asked me to turn on the car engine.  I was in the apartment at the time.  So I told him I would have to go to the basement to get the car, then put it outside of the underground garage.  He agreed to call me back in 5 minutes. After we successfully traversed this new territory we were no further ahead. The agent said he would escalate the matter to include our network carrier. When however I afterwards reached Stittsville I discovered to my delight that the App was working properly. I called On Star accordingly and reported the remedy. I also let my car dealership know. The relieving effect of the outcome was noticeable.

i will not presume to protract your attention further, dear Reader. This petty achievement nonetheless vitalized the remainder of my day. It was by any account a glorious day, dry clear air, brilliant sunshine. Oh, and this evening’s dessert, a warm apple and oatmeal cobbler with Chapman’s vanilla ice cream.