The Scratch

Nobody’s perfect. I prove that every day. In fact, I really showed my humanity the other day.

We are looking to buy a new car. We don’t want to put any more money into the ones we have right now. I decided to take one out for a test drive.

The salesperson went along with me. I really liked the way it handled. We came back to the dealership and I wanted to see how easy it was to park, so I backed it up into its original spot – almost.

Crash! I misjudged just a bit and backed into a light standard. I suffered from embarrassment. My main concern, though, was I might have gotten the salesperson into hot water.

She said that she would talk it over with her boss and get back to me. I insisted that I go along with her to own up to my error. He wasn’t there, but two other representatives came out to look at the damage. I told them that it was entirely my mistake and to let me know what I could do to correct it.

I found out today what I can do to correct it. I paid for the repair. It came to just over $300. I immediately went to the dealership and put it on my credit card.

After I got over my initial feelings about the incident, I laughed about it. Why? I figured it was better to chuckle over my mistake than get upset about it. There was nothing I could do to reverse it, and nobody was hurt, so I decided to count my losses and move on with a smile. This attitude made everybody feel better about the damage and eased any tension that might have existed about the situation.

As I got to thinking about the accident a bit more, I realized that the $300 that I forked out could actually be a good investment. While I sincerely wish I hadn’t backed into the pole, a lot of good could actually come out of it.

Think about it. I admitted my mistake immediately and took full responsibility for it. I mentioned that it was not the fault of the sales representative. I know at least the salesperson appreciated my attitude. My guess is that the others who came with me to inspect the damage felt the same way. There is no telling how many others they will influence if the subject of my character comes up.

When the bill came, I didn’t question it. I calmly went in, paid it and laughed about the mistake I had made. There was a time in my life that I might have been really upset over having to pay for this. Not now.

We may eventually buy a car from this dealership. What kind of customer would they like to negotiate a sweet deal with, one who tries to push blame away from himself or one who admits his mistake? I’m the guy who didn’t try to stiff them with paying for the damage. I have earned their trust through my words and actions. At the very least, I know I have their respect and that is worth a lot more than $300 to me.

Yes, good can actually come from bad. Often it is the perspective you take on it, not the circumstances themselves, which may be bad.

And finally, I learned one other thing. When it comes to getting the car in and out of the tight parking spaces on car lots, let the staff do it.