It could have been worse: A minor accident in my 1982 Mercedes 380 SL

I can't bear to look at it! My pristine 1982 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL is now wounded, the result of my thick-headed actions.

It happened about a week ago. I was coming home from a Wednesday night Bible study and my car died on Alex-Bell in front of Doubledays at Crosspoint. Just flat-out died. As it turned out -- and I did diagnose it the next morning -- it was the fuel pump relay. I have since replaced it and the car hums again.

But getting back to the story. With the momentum I had I rolled it on to an access road. But it was stuck there in the middle of the road, and it was nearly dark. This car is heavy -- so heavy in fact it is most difficult to push. A couple came out of Doubleldays and wanted to help.  So I started pushing it with me holding on to the steering wheel with the door open.  We hit a crest in a minor hill and the car started to run away from me. I held on for dear life, being dragged as the car zipped downhill toward a building and a brick pillar in front of Round 9 Gym. The car jumped the curb, hit the brick pillar, then rolled back.  I scraped my knee and hurt my pride.  It could have been much worse and I could have been hurt.

The door check broke. Look at the images to see what happened. Now I have a major repair job on my hands and a car no longer perfect. Also a ding in the front bumper!

What I learned from all of this is that I am getting old. I just am not quick enough any more to respond to physical challenges like this one.

Now to fix the car -- which runs perfectly again -- and maybe sell it this time around. I fear I am too old for old cars!