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I'm not sure why I want to talk about this, but I feel compelled to do so...

I don't drive. I don't have a driver's license. I had a car, but it's gone now. Never drove it. Why?

I forget most everything I do. I can't remember what I did this morning. But I still remember my parents and I getting in that car accident.

It was a week night. I don't remember which day, but there was band practice that night. It was a long practice too. I don't think we finished until 8 or 9. I put away my instrument and found my parents. They already ate dinner, so I needed some fast food.

We had just left Taco Bueno. (Yes, so far back that I was still able to eat Mexican food.) I had my usual 2 burritos and a chiller. (I think that's what they're called. I don't remember.) Before we could get back on the highway, a car hit our left side. Right behind the driver's seat. I was in the back seat (this was an Xterra), and I wasn't wearing a seat belt. The car that hit us was probably going 40 or 50. Oh, it wasn't a car. I think it was a minivan.

My chiller flew out of my hands and my glasses disappeared. After what felt like a minute, the car stopped. My right hand hurt, and I could still feel the pain from my head hitting the overhead light. I searched for my glasses while my dad began to use F-bombs like crazy.

I got out of the car and sat down on the side. My mom was crying, I think. My dad went to the other driver. Next thing I know, my dad is looking at me with a weird look on his face. He said that my cheek was turning purple. And that's when my neck tightened up. He decided it would be best if I went to the hospital.

Everything was hazy at the time. I had to wait for the ambulance. They wanted to strap me down and put me in a neck brace. I kept telling them that I was fine, but they kept trying to convince me that I wasn't. I don't like being strapped down. And neck braces are very uncomfortable.

They took X-Rays, made me change into that ridiculous gown, and put me back on the bed. I didn't have an IV put in or anything like that. Just the usual heart monitor.

I waited in the hospital for 7 hours that night. It took them all of that time to tell me that I could go home. Just a stiff neck and a bruised hand. It was 3 in the morning. I took a shower to get all of that chiller syrup off of me. While I was washing my hair, I noticed a bit of blood on my hand. Apparently there was a 3 inch cut that I didn't feel and the doctors didn't notice. But eh, it didn't bleed that much.

I missed the next day of practice and was back later that week.

My dad mentions every now and then that he wants to get me a car. And every time, I just change the subject.