Moral dilemma: Little Jake hit the neighbor's car. Now what?

Perhaps you can help us settle a moral dilemma. (Yes, they asked.)

Here’s the story.

Brand-new driver Jake backed his parents’ car out of their driveway – right into the back of the next-door neighbor’s car, which happened to be parked there.

This was a simple bumper-to-bumper bing. Jake jumped out of the car to inspect the damages and spotted a scratch on his own family’s vehicle. The neighbor’s car had plenty of rust on the bumper, but no visible new marks.

Jake climbed back into the car and drove off to pick up his girlfriend for a Saturday evening movie date.

Discovering the bumper scratch the next morning, Jake’s mom asked the teen what happened and learned the story. 

What should Jake’s mom do?

1. Send Jake over to apologize to the neighbor.

2. Accompany Jake to visit the neighbor and explain what happened.

3. Call on the neighbor herself to discuss the matter.

4. Leave a note in the neighbor’s mailbox, or make Jake do it.

5. Call the cops to file a police report.

6. Notify the insurance company.

7. Take secret photographs of both vehicles, just in case.

8. Ignore the situation, as no visible damage occurred to the neighbor’s car.

9. Put the house on the market, and move.

10. Other: __________________.

(Note: Jake's mom happens to be a single parent. Otherwise, additional options might be listed.)

What would you do, if this were your family’s concern?

Image/s:

Adapted from public domain photo

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Can you remember the first car you ever drove?

Think back. Can you recall the first car you ever drove? Are you able to remember how it felt to turn that ignition key and grip that steering wheel?

I surely can.

My family had a 1970s-era Ford Country Squire station wagon, all decked out with the wood panels. That was pretty popular back then. Ours was navy blue, but it looked a lot like the green one in the photo here. That’s the closest picture I could find to the old dog (I mean car).

(I know. It looks like something out of a John Hughes movie.)

I remember my first test ride. My mom took me to a giant parking lot for my first try. Before long, we were tooling through neighborhoods and our own downtown.

At first, I felt pretty spiffy, just because I was driving. It was cool to walk around jingling a set of car keys. It was an adventure to climb behind the wheel and roll around town without adult supervision.

Soon, however, I grew somewhat embarrassed to pilot such a dowdy-looking set of wheels. It was sort of the same feeling a teen or young adult might have these days, if she were caught wearing a pair of high-waisted, baggy-butt, stonewashed mom jeans.

And that big ole' machine consumed gas like there was no tomorrow. Good thing fuel was under a dollar a gallon back then! (Yes, it was a while ago.)

You get the picture.  Although I was grateful to have access to any vehicle as a beginning driver, I could hardly wait to buy my own car.

But that big and clunky car taught me to parallel park like nobody’s business.

What did you drive, when you first took the wheel?

Image:

Adapted from public domain photo

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5 Father’s Day gifts and goodies to grab

Father’s Day is the third Sunday in June. That’s when we celebrate dads, grandfathers, and all sorts of paternal figures.

Need some fun ideas for Father’s Day gifts and goodies?

Why not skip the necktie this year? Here are some favorites, old and new. Click the title links to find these items online for convenient ordering.

1. Cuisinart CGS-134 3-Piece Grilling Tool Set with Grill Glove –  Lots of fathers love to grill, when they’re not grilling kids about chores, curfews, and homework. This great grill set fits the bill for the barbecuing dad on Father’s Day.

2. Metal Parking Sign - World's Greatest Grandpa – Having the grandparents over for a Father’s Day get-together? This fun parking sign is just the ticket. 

A “Dad” version is a super pick for placing in the family driveway or garage.

3. Spider-Killing, Burger Grilling Dad – Shown here on a trucker cap, this whimsical design is also available on tees, totes, and even a barbecue grilling apron for Dad. It reads: "Spider killing, burger grilling, still top billing (Just call me Dad.)." 

These creative gifts are only sold on CafePress.

4. Stealing Wonder: A Rhyming Race to Capture Grace – How about encouraging Dad with some inspirational lines to mark Father’s Day? 

This is not your everyday devotional poetry book.  These verses are gritty and real. Some are humorous, while others may touch readers’ hearts. Throughout, the real-life nature of God’s grace is experienced, as He is faithful, even when we are unfaithful, or simply not paying attention. 

Spoiler alert: Hope triumphs.

5. Victorinox 10-Function Swiss Army Golf Tool – This is just plain cool – a favorite gift for the golf-loving dad. Modeled after the long-popular Swiss Army knife, this tool includes a ball marker, a divot repair device, a golf club groove cleaner, and more.

Those with their hearts set on picking out Father’s Day neckties for dads might like to go the personalization route, adding their fathers’ monograms or names.

And certainly, no one ever said dads don’t like well-chosen chocolates, flowers and plants, or gourmet gift baskets for Father’s Day.

NOTE: This writer operates the CafePress online shop offering the #3 item and is the author of the #4 item, but has no affiliation or professional interest in the manufacturers or retailers offering #1, #2, or #5 and received no remuneration for reviewing any of these items here (with the exception of possible Amazon Affiliates percentages from orders of the same through product title links offered here).

Image/s:

Father’s Day gifts and goodies to grab

Created by this user with ecard template

Product photos – fair use

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