wienerville

Here's some timely news. A car just crashed into my house. I was settling in at about 11:40, doing some reading just before dropping off when I heard tires screeching, a loud bang (my neighbor's house) and a loud thud (my house). This is no joke. I went outside and saw a smashed-up car settled against my front deck. There was a guy inside flailing about. I told him I'd help then went back inside and put some slippers on (still in my t-shirt and shorts) and returned outside. By now a bunch of neighbors were out, calling 911 and gawking. The kid was out of the car, healthy, and I could tell he wanted to run. I crowded him and told him he wasn't smashing into my house and running. The guy from across the street helped. Then the kid tried to make a break for it and we, plus my next-door neighbor (whose house took the brunt of the blow) restrained the kid. About then the ambulance guys showed up, then seconds later the cops. I went back and got dressed, it's 20F out there. Wait, cops just now came to my door for personal info. Okay, it looks like the car came in fast from the north, and a little sideways (there's MAJOR skid marks on the neighbor's sidewalk), hit the (fairly new) concrete porch of my neighbor (west side of house), then swung around 360 counter-clockwise thudding against my deck, about two feet from the natural gas intake. Jack and Henrietta have enough car parts in their yard to open a parts shop. The car is still where it came to rest so I can't be sure, but it looks like it only barked up the side of my deck a little bit. I'll get a good look tomorrow. Oh yeah, the car's at rest about seven feet from where my head was. Well, they just hauled it off and I got a good look the the deck. Just scraped up on the side. Glad to blog this as I can't call anyone at this hour and I feel like sharing.

UPDATE: Just took a good look. The 2x10 piece that supports the planks on the side of the deck (probably has a name, I just don't know it) is definitely cracked and the bottom 80% pushed in about 1/2 inch. Still about the least damage possible for getting your house run into by a car. Also some broken glass strewn about, and one CD lying on the deck titled 'Vertigo Juares - 2001'. It starts with some idiot screaming 'face down, ass up, that the way we like to fuck!' about ten times. The next 26 tracks are ugly, ugly techno-pop. Hell, this might have been a suicide attempt. Next time he should just push the eject button.