Moral Dilemma

Last Saturday night I stopped at a strip mall with my daughter. As we were leaving and I was backing out of my parking space, I backed right into a truck. A big white pickup truck with a cap. Not hard to see. Especially with my car's top down. I don't know what happened. Hard to admit being careless. And stupid.

Anyway - I pull back into a parking space and my daughter and I get out to check the damage. I feel a little sick. But nothing is really wrong with my car - a couple scuff marks, no dent. All right! What a relief! We go to inspect the truck. No problem there either - I'm off scott free! - but wait, what's this? Ack! A small crease in the shiny metal bumper!

Could I have caused that crease? I was doing practically zero miles an hour! My car isn't dented, and that's a big old truck! I couldn't have caused that crease.

Could I?

What to do. Leave a note or not leave a note. Leaving one feels like the right thing to do. But what if I didn't cause the damage? What if Mr. Truck Driver is an immoral money-grubbing opportunist and tries to stick it to me and my insurance company? What if leaving a note makes me a STUPID, NAIVE FOOL?

I'm way more stressed out at this point than I have any reason to be. I debate it with my daughter. I call my son. He is rational. He says if I drive away I won't go to hell, BUT: the right thing to do is leave a note. I know that, but it sucks. My son says that's how I know it's right. Because it sucks.

I leave a note with my cell phone number under a windshield wiper. I apologize. I say I didn't think I caused any damage, but wanted to let Mr. Truck Driver check for himself. Then I go home and wait. I turn the sound off on my phone and check it periodically. I want Mr. Truck Driver to have to leave a message. I'm sure that's what the savvy truck hitters do.

No call Saturday night. No call Sunday. No call, in fact, so far.

So what's the moral of the story? I'm not sure. It could be that the note blew off or Mr. Truck Driver thought it was an ad or something and never read it.

Or, it could be that Mr. Truck Driver saw the note, checked the bumper, knew the crease had already been there and threw the note away. I like that option. Kind of restores my faith in humanity. And makes the whole situation suck a little less.