Totaling My Parents Dodge Caravan Off-Roading

I'd try a few times before giving up a fight. It was shortly before Winter of Grade 11 and I asked my mother one last time if she'd buy me smokes. The age to buy smokes used to be quite low, and having to get smokes through other means often meant talking to less-than favourable people. Although she smoked in high school, she insisted I'd have to supply my own habits.

I asked to borrow the van, saying I was going to hang with Kenny, but was really going to look for a pull for smokes. Kenny did what a lot of people would do; he'd offer a service, but eventually complain he had to. I didn't want him to get the impression I just hung out for smokes, but it only made sense to kill two birds with one stone.

I pulled up to the local convenience store but no one good was there, I only met the Bus Bullies.

"Take us for a ride, Romeo!" Doily said.

I rolled my eyes, "Nah, I'm good..." I said, not understanding the point to pointless driving. I never knew where to go without a destination in mind.

"Why are you even here than?" he asked.

"I'm looking for a pull," I stated.

"If you take us for a cruise, we'll buy you smokes from White City," he said.

I told them to direct me, and after some time, someone got the bright idea that we should take a dodge caravan off-roading. I was already reaching my limits, having wanted a smoke before my bullies had even gotten in. I told them it was time to honour their portion of the deal.

"You can either drop us back off in Pilot Butte, or take us off-roading for smokes,"

Now I was over-stimulated and just wanting to escape. I agreed and took them to the gas station, just wanting a smoke now.

They piled out. I prayed whoever was buying the smokes, bought first and came to give me them while the others made purchases. I could lock the door, and tell them to have a good night. I'd deal with the consequences another day. I even debated about calling my mother, and having her bail me out. Except I'd still get in trouble for lying about having hung out with Kenny.

They came back as one unit and got in the van. Someone handed me my cigarettes and I lit one up, dying. Having noticed, someone asked, "We can smoke in the van?"

I'd lost my ability to care and dryly said, "Sure..." just wanting to go home. They discussed the off-roading option. "I don't know... This is a van after all and I've never off-roaded..." I stated.

"You just drive on the grid. We got your smokes Jory, you made a promise," Doily said. I thought about that. Although I hated him with a passion, I had made a promise. Like rules, I wasn't supposed to break them. I just sighed and reasoned I didn't have much gas to get us far enough to meet trouble.

"Where to? I don't got much gas, so don't pick somewhere too far," I said.

They directed me to an area called Coppersands and the dirt roads that surround it. All I really knew was that I was allowed to go 80Km on them, so that's what I did. I figured they didn't actually expect me to take this van into the fields or something stupid. Everyone cheered while I just counted down the seconds, wanting that gas to combust faster. Then my eyes widened.

In the distance, not far down the dark dirt road, was a noticeably huge dip. I was exhausted and lacked energy for much reaction. I thought about going into the ditch, but I'd be going in just as hard. I didn't no much about vehicles, and worried we might just flip.

The gap was roughly 3 feet wide and I prayed we could clear it. If I slowed down, I'd just bottom out in the pit. Everyone cheered louder as I approached my inevitable doom, watching my life further unravel in front of me. My face numbed as I braced for impact.

Gravity took hold quite instantly and the front end shot into the other side of the gap. The van bounced and continued forward, making god awful sounds. It came up the other side and I stopped the van. The check engine light was on, although I figured that was the least of my problems.

I knew I was screwed and it was all for a pack of smokes. Now there was nothing to do but take everyone home and get grounded for the rest of my life. Leaving the site, it became clear the van wasn't going to make to back to town. Things were hissing and snapping. Someone suggested a friend that lived in the Coppersands area and I'd make it just outside their property before the van died. A party was happening and I sat there in shock, trying to process.

My only option was to call my parents and Doily made a joke on the amount of trouble I'd get in. Like most, he clearly didn't realize I was running low on the sort of currency that got you out of trouble. Most of the boys thanked me for a wonderful time while I sat there unmoved. I'd done the action, and like most times, I'd take the consequence.

Except one boy held back, maybe noticing that I was barely holding on, except tightly to the steering wheel, "Are you alright man...?"

But what was I supposed to say to him? Like most he wasn't a psychologist and he was part of the bullying crew, whether he didn't actually want to be or not. "Yeah..." I said, unable to move. He offered to wait, but I wanted to be alone. I was going to get my ass handed to me whether I involved them or not. I waited, but couldn't cry. I'd only just received my license, and had crashed the family mode of transportation. Used for things like getting Tiny Hannah to dance recitals.

Lying was always hard for me, so I had to form the entire scene before I could tell one effectively. I reasoned lots of people hit ditches from snow and deer. I'd stick to my story of the Coppersands deer; there one night, gone forever the next.

Montague arrived and wondered how so much damage could be done by missing a deer, I only played stupid. Mother Teresa inquired more about Kenny, since I said I was going to be out with him, and ended up at a party. Was a drinking and driving?

The insurance company accepted my story and claim, at least until the damage of the van was inspected. I simply held firm that I was going 80, missed a deer and hit the ditch, and than tried to drive it home. They reasoned a bunch of damages must have come from driving after the crash.

They did accept the claim, but said the insurance policy didn't cover the damages incurred from driving after "missing a deer and hitting the ditch". And it certainly wasn't the deer required to pay the $1500 extra to fix the van...