T&G

I did a poor job of parallel parking recently, and due to the height of my SUV, I ended up putting a two-inch scratch in the *plastic* strip of someone’s 1990 Acura Integra GS Hatchback front bumper, which had many other previous bumper scratches and over 200,000 miles, as well as 6 accidents already registered on the VIN number. Why do I know so much about the car? I politely left a note — mostly out of guilt because there is just no way this person would have even noticed the scratches, not even next summer when they next washed it — and this person decided this would be a wonderful way to get their next vacation paid for. They took the car to two body shops who both provided an estimate of more than the trade-in value of the car ($600)! Naturally, when I offered to make the check out to the repair shop, this person was naturally confused. We decided on a much smaller check made out directly to them.
If this had happened to me, I would have rejoiced at the fact that there was still good will in the world (and my car is actually still worth a couple of grand), called them and thanked them for their sincerity, told them to forget about it. Had I been treated *that way*, I probably would have insisted on sending them $50 or something for a dinner out, instead of having to go through this haggling which ultimately teaches you not to be a nice guy.
I would have expected a lot more from a Seattle acupuncturist, but the new age-y ones seem to always be the least giving or understanding. Thanks for the new impression of humanity…