Ireland Travel Log Day 11

Up and at 'em for our flight home! We have our last breakfast at the hotel, finish packing and head to the airport. After dropping off the car, we go through THREE security checkpoints and then through customs before getting to our gate. As we wait in customs, we hear someone calling my wife's name. It turns out to be a fellow attorney who was on her way back home after visiting family in Ireland. And she also happens to sit directly in front of my wife on the way home. She had completely forgotten we were going to be there for our vacation and could have shown us around, so as an apology she buys my wife alcohol. Fair enough. After eight hours home and at least twenty minutes circling O'Hare due to a storm, we finally land home. In 100 degree heat. Another of my wife's attorney friends is nice enough to pick us up at the airport and drive us home. You would think that would be the end of the adventure, but no.

After an hour drive, we are heading up the street that leads to our housing complex. It is around five, so everyone is heading home from work. There is a line of cars backed up where we have to turn in, so of course we slow down and stop and wait for traffic to move forward. Just as our driver lets off the brake, we get smacked from behind. Luckily, my wife who was in front was wearing her seat belt, as was the driver. I was in the back and half asleep, with no belt. Luckily, I never knew it was coming so I didn't tense up for impact and I wasn't hurt. We pulled over and got out to inspect the damage; only a dented rear bumper for our friend. The young woman who hit us wasn't so lucky. She blew out her windshield and both airbags deployed, not to mention the damage to her front bumper. Luckily she was honest when the police arrived (or too shaken up to think straight) and admitted she was on her cell phone with her Mom when she hit us. She had looked down for a moment and when she looked back up, didn't realize everyone had stopped. Since we didn't have any injuries and very little damage, the police let us go as they finished up with the other driver. We got dropped off a home, and the adrenaline rush kept us awake until our normal bed time. We unpacked our stuff, ate dinner, watched TV and then went to bed, dreaming our Irishy dreams. And that is when the adventure ended.