Eyes That Do Not See

Denting benearth the stars

The advantage of living in the same house for many years is that I know where everything is. There's no problem finding light switches in the dark or negotiating those poorly designed steps in the dining room or bed room.

The disadvantage of familiarity is that it's easy to miss changes in one's surroundings. Unlike our former neighbor, the new owners across the street often park their small blue car in the driveway, just opposite ours. I was in a hurry Sunday and backed out hastily with only a glance in the rearview mirror. The thud roused me from my preoccupations.

I knocked on the neighbor's door, apologized, and said I would pay for the damage. They'll get back to me in a few days.

As I drove to the destination the irritation at my stupidity quickly transformed into gratitude. What if there had been a kid on a tricycle? (There are no little kids in the surrounding houses, and I don't look for them.) At the cost of a few hundred dollars I got a valuable wake-up call.