The "Thank You" Wave

Driving is insane in Jamaica, but they have a code.  Two short honks equates to a display of gratitude, and a single extended honk signals fury.  The longer the honk, the longer the obscenity.

I'm starting to support this horn system here in America because so few people do the "thank you" wave anymore anyway.  But maybe that's for the best.

Yesterday morning, I was nearing the finish line of a 5-mile drive from my house to the Park and Ride.  I was in the middle lane and had to take a right turn soon, so I signaled and changed lanes seamlessly before shortly glancing back in my rearview mirror as I did my patented thumb-1-2-finger "thank you" wave.

All I saw next were the heavy brake lights of the two cars in front of me, and while I slammed the brakes, the short distance and the wet pavement proved an unfortunate combination.  It turned out to be a three-car accident, with me being on the tail end.

The driver of the first car got out, looked at her car, saw little to no damage, and assured the driver of the second car that all was well and fine, and drove off.

The drive of the second car got out, looked at his car, saw little to no damage, and assured the driver of the third car (me) that all was well and fine, and drove off.

The driver of the third car got out, looked at his car, and was deeply saddened by the damage.

Thank God that nobody got hurt and I'll only have to pay my car insurance deductible to fix up my own car, but I still can't bear the sight of my beat-up car in the garage.  But I guess as I always tell people at the craps table: "It's just money!"