Instances | Teen Ink

Instances MAG

December 7, 2008
By Mabish3 SILVER, Stratford, Connecticut
Mabish3 SILVER, Stratford, Connecticut
5 articles 0 photos 3 comments

It took me 15 years and 364 days to turn 16, three tries to pass my driving test, and several months of nonsense to finally earn the right to drive on my own.

It takes a song and a half to get out of the school’s hellish parking lot at the end of the day, until the second chorus of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” to reach the first traffic light, and more or less half of any album in my collection to get home.

It takes an instant to lose everything.

Not one of those commercial instants either: Lose ten pounds instantly! Regrow a full head of hair in an instant! In an instant, that troublesome fungus will disappear! When those people use the word instant, it means at least a minute, or, if they don’t mind lying to the public, days or more. I don’t imply, and I don’t lie. When I use the word instant, I mean a fraction of a second. I mean less than a heartbeat.

I mean my head through the windshield, my mouth still open from singing along to whatever song I was listening to the instant before.

It wasn’t even my fault, not really. I suppose I could have chosen a safer car, but when deciding between a bunch of safety features I might never even need and CDs I would absolutely want in the next year or two, my judgment was not at its best. I blame the economy, and the constant civil war between heart and head. I blame The Killers for coming out with a new album every five minutes, and statistics that say I would probably never die in a crash anyway.

Come to think of it, the accident wasn’t even the other driver’s fault. I would probably run a red light if I were late for a dentist appointment too. Maybe not one at a busy intersection, but who’s to say it wasn’t a really important appointment? Perhaps he was getting a new filling. Yeah, I’d race across the road with no regard for traffic in my 2004 pickup for that, too, especially if there was nothing in my way except a wimpy ’98 Civic. Because I would be the only person on the road. Every other car would be driven by a robot, a drone that doesn’t matter in my world. The only thing that would matter to me is being on time for my appointment.

Like him, I too would be surprised when, after stepping out of my barely scratched vehicle, I saw the other car scrunched up like an accordion, like a piece of paper balled up and thrown against the side of the street. I would be shocked to see blood on the shards of glass strewn about the pavement because apparently I hadn’t realized running that light meant plowing into the Civic, which would lead to crushing the 17-year-old inside it. The 17-year-old who just wanted to listen to The Smiths while driving home.

Maybe I’m being too bitter about all of it. After all, the other driver did stand by while someone else called 911, waited patiently while the paramedics extricated me from my mangled vehicle, and even went through the trouble of leaving a note of apology beside my bed in the hospital. I, of course, wouldn’t know of his contributions to my well-being until after I woke up from the coma a week and a half later.

I sure hope his dentist was a good sport about rescheduling.



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This article has 99 comments.


on Jan. 15 2010 at 10:51 pm
hamsa_prophet SILVER, Los Angeles, California
9 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"this is your warning / this
your birthright / do not let
this universe regret you."
- Marty McConnell

Phenomenal! The way you made light of such a serious situation was awesome, and the beginning was very well done.

AmnyR BRONZE said...
on Jan. 15 2010 at 8:04 am
AmnyR BRONZE, Clifton, Texas
4 articles 0 photos 134 comments

Favorite Quote:
To the world, you may be just one person, but to one person, you may be the whole world. ~unknown

ok, i know everyones said this already, but great job with the sarcasm! its really hard to write sarcasticly, but you pulled it off beautifully! wonderful piece!

on Dec. 24 2009 at 3:01 pm
LeslieAnn BRONZE, Midvale, Utah
1 article 0 photos 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
\\\\\\\"Dream as if you\\\\\\\'ll live forever, Live as if you\\\\\\\'ll die today\\\\\\\" \\\\\\\"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain.\\\\\\\"

Increadible

maki:p GOLD said...
on Dec. 24 2009 at 12:33 pm
maki:p GOLD, Rocklin, California
17 articles 1 photo 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The only journey is the one within" and "You can't help anyone who doesn't want to be helped."

nicely done

on Dec. 8 2009 at 3:49 am
AzureGal BRONZE, Malacca, Florida
1 article 0 photos 14 comments
I love the story and amazing sarcasm in it LOL.. =) Write more!!

The Reader! said...
on Dec. 2 2009 at 8:04 pm
I loved that story. I love how I can really feel what she feels, and I like how it's humorous even though the situation isn't that great. Write more!

on Dec. 2 2009 at 6:48 pm
dragonfan SILVER, Arcidia, Indiana
9 articles 1 photo 213 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Death truly makes an artist"

wow,i loved this it was great

on Dec. 2 2009 at 1:02 pm
unnamedorigins123 BRONZE, Bridgton, Maine
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Revenge is a wild kind of justice.

Wow, I really enjoyed this. Your voice comes through really well.

on Nov. 17 2009 at 12:10 am
Lil_bear BRONZE, Murrieta, California
2 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me."
-C. S. Lewis

Holy cow, I LOVED it! That was pure gold. Seriously. Everything about it. The sarcasm made me laugh (I'm sorry I couldn't help it) but at the same time it made me think...AWESOME! Write more please! :D

on Aug. 22 2009 at 6:35 am
wind'schime SILVER, Malacca, Other
7 articles 1 photo 17 comments
Absolutely great!like the sarcasm

Schubster said...
on Aug. 16 2009 at 7:28 pm
I know lots of ppl have commented, but this piece was great! Very sarcastic and flowed wonderfully. Love it if you checked out my work. :)

Stina said...
on Aug. 16 2009 at 10:16 am
I liked it! The way you write is interesting to read and enjoyable!

laurel567 said...
on Jul. 4 2009 at 12:27 am
laurel567, Marshfield, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
this is great! i forgot i was reading a fiction piece:)

on Jul. 3 2009 at 3:47 pm
emajin96! BRONZE, Millersville, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
"

wow, what an incredible piece!! it left me sitting there, thinking. absorbing the story. it really was amazing. the sarcasm, the way the author talks about it, truly unique! way to go! keep writing please!!!

Destyni BRONZE said...
on Jul. 2 2009 at 10:46 pm
Destyni BRONZE, Edmonton, Other
4 articles 0 photos 6 comments
You've got it all... love the irony and sarcasm.

on Jul. 2 2009 at 1:42 am
Swooshhh BRONZE, Bayonne, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"dont worry now things will get better. it may be stormy now but it cant rain forever."

that was simply amazing one of the best pieces i have read on here lol

Zero_K DIAMOND said...
on Jul. 1 2009 at 11:52 pm
Zero_K DIAMOND, Moosic, Pennsylvania
83 articles 0 photos 435 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life's no fun if you're not insane, otherwise you grow up to be an accountant." -Moi

I love the sarcasm, especially the last sentence. I also love how you say how long it took the narrator to do everything and then you hit them with the fact that it only takes an instant to lose everything. Love it!

<(o.0)>

ZERO

on Jul. 1 2009 at 11:19 pm
AjentVee BRONZE, Bronx, New York
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
This article is absolutly awesome! Throughout the whole thing I had my jaw to te floor. Excellent work.

on Jul. 1 2009 at 7:32 pm
GlassHeart SILVER, Black Earth, Wisconsin
7 articles 8 photos 167 comments
I loved the sarcasm!!! Really really great!

on Jun. 24 2009 at 5:00 am
GreenDayFan SILVER, Phoenix, Arizona
7 articles 3 photos 134 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Every story has an end, but in life, every ending is just a new beginning."
-Uptown Girls

very well written. Amazing work you did Madison!!!!