Thursday 21 January 2010

Good Karma, Bad Karma

I don't think I really believe in Karma. Most of life is determined by the choices we make, with a little bit of good or bad luck thrown in for good measure.
And yet... sometimes I wonder.

Remember last August, when I bashed the car for the first time? I was lucky enough to select the perfect "victim": an easy-going, retired car mechanic who agreed to settle cash-in-hand and only made me pay for his broken headlight.

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when I bashed the car for the second time? The garage we took it to quoted me around 1000 euros. It has to be said: half of the front was hanging off (and has been loosely held together with a strategically positioned piece of rope ever since...).

Well, determined that there must be a better alternative to the loss of 1000 euros for 3 seconds bad driving, I had the bright idea of calling round to see my first accident victim (who happens also to live nearby). I asked him if he could recommend a good garage, maybe someone who would be prepared to cut a deal for cash (see how French I am becoming??).
What actually happened is that the sweet guy examined my car, ummed and aahed, said that there was really no need to replace the bodywork, and offered to repair it himself for a small fee.
"I may be retired, but I still have all the tools," he told me, conspiratorially.

And repair it he did.
In just one day, in his garden, and all for 150 euros and a bottle of wine (the wine was my initiative).

So I can't help but wonder... If I hadn't had the first accident, I'd never have met him, and I'd actually be far more out of pocket now than if I hadn't had that first accident... which seemed so "terrible" at the time.

Could this possibly be what they mean by Karma? Or is it just old-style, pre-Facebook networking?

2 comments:

Stevie G. said...

What a lovely story!
I do think everything is connected on all sorts of levels but that we just don't pick up on it. In the main we live our lives in a very blinkered way - too busy with day-to-day stuff to see the bigger picture. I believe that everything happens for a reason but that we don't usually make the connections.
Well done you for making the connection on this occasion!

Shirl said...

I think the same as you.
mmm... I wonder if maybe we might be related?!