After the almighty explosion of glass and metal, he peered through the windscreen.
Driving without turning on your car lights on a wet winter’s night was never a good thing. The impact had really shaken him up. He didn’t feel well. The inside of his windscreen was fogging up and he looked around for something to wipe a hole in it. He found a sock. He wondered how it had got there. With a fierce belch, it came back to him. He’d had his son for the weekend. The silly cow had complained about returning him fifteen minutes late. He grinned at the thought of her hunting around looking for his other sock. Meanwhile, he used it to wipe a clear patch. The vehicle in front was sitting sideways, and he was just able to make out the word ‘Police’.
The man chuckled as he watched the burly occupant hammer the inside of the car’s door frame. The officer was obviously trying to get out. The door would only open enough to get a couple of fingers through. The rasping and creaking of it reminded him of the time he caught his son trying unsuccessfully to jimmy open his locked tool box. The little bugger wouldn’t tell him how he knew he kept his supply of drugs for his pushers in there. He wasn’t a bad kid really; just a bit of larceny and the odd grievous bodily harm. He chuckled to himself again, with a sense of pride. It was the sort of thing any kid of twelve would get up to.
He leaned forward and smirked as he took note that the driver still couldn’t get out. His partner seemed to be slumped over somehow. That side of the vehicle was jammed up against a wall. It had no doubt been pushed there by his vehicle bearing down on it. He wondered whether he would get the blame for any of this. Probably! It was always the same, the smallest thing goes wrong and the finger gets pointed at him. Like the failed marriage; when in fact no part of it was down to him. It was her fault that he’d lost his licence to drive over a year ago. That’s why the car was not registered or insured. She had so much to answer for. He had a good mind to go round there…
He was brought out of his reverie by a loud tap on his window. He wound the window down slowly. “You managed to get out then?” He burped and grinned. “Whoops! What can I do for you, officer,” he said in a happy-go-lucky tone.
The policeman was looking weary, from braking out of the damaged police car, and naturally anxious about his partner, who was still unconscious. He kept his composure and made his request in a professional manner. “Would you mind stepping out of the car, sir?”
He pushed the door open and fell out, then clambered to his feet and leant against the car. He sighed deeply, sending out a cloud of invisible yet pungent alcohol fumes. The sound of an ambulance was growing louder.
In a more severe voice, the officer asked, “Have you been drinking, sir?”
His head wobbled around before he said “Nah.”
“It’s my duty to check your alcohol level but…”
He was interrupted by the ambulance screeching to a halt.
“As I was saying,” he went on stoically, “it is my duty to breathalyse you, but my vehicle is not available to me at present.” He looked back at his vehicle.
The other belched and said, “Sorry to hear that.”
“Yes. Well, we’ll get you to the station shortly. It might be best if you get back in your car and wait, sir.”
As he climbed back in, he saw another emergency vehicle pull up. He sat there thinking. He always tried to do the right thing, didn’t he? That was his nature. He watched the guy get out the jaws-of-life equipment. He’d probably get the blame for this too. Being known to the police, they’re bound to search the car. They’re sure to find the drugs. It’s not his fault that his regular pub closed early. Nobody could blame him for putting his foot down a little in order to make it to a pub that was still open. He looked outside. The rain had started again. It was the weather that caused it.
Surely, nobody could blame him for that!