Colette couldn’t believe her Honda was beyond repair. She has owned that car since she was in high school. She had saved up all the tips she earned working as a waitress while in high school. The driver of the Ford Fusion was a damn stock broker with one too many drinks at a meeting. He was racing to meet another client when he t-boned her.

The doctor told her to keep her left arm in a sling for the next two weeks. Which meet she couldn’t do any tricks or anything. It wasn’t the first time she had dislocated her shoulder. Still, she hated it. She could still juggle one-handed.

She taps away on her laptop, looking for a new car. She was at Carguru searching for another Honda like the one she had. Some of the ones she came across had fewer miles than her old one and were within her price range. She spots a black one that only had 86,000 miles and was well-kept.

It would have to be transported to her, but it was below the asking price for a car with that many miles. She sends an email to the dealership that had posted it, asking for more pictures. After searching for a replacement vehicle for her Honda, she checks her email and answers a few of them.

She checks her bank account and notices the money for her Honda had already been deposited. The money she saved would cover the money she will be losing, not performing down at the pier. Trying to get there on her scooter would be difficult with her left arm in a sling.

She checks to make sure her utility bills are up to date. Afterward, Colette ordered some lunch since she was going to be stuck at home. Just as she was about to log out of her computer. A reply from the email she sent arrives. She clicks on it and looks at the additional pictures they sent.

Colette likes what she sees and replies that she would like to buy it. She instructs them to send her the paperwork or whatever forms she needs to fill out and the price. Once that is done, she sends the email.

Colette hears her cell phone beep. She picks it up and checks to see who sent her a text. A smile appears on her face as she recognizes who the text is from. It was her friend Karen down at the costume store she frequents.

She wonders how Karen heard about her accident. She knew Karen had a boyfriend on the police force. Still, it has only been a day or so since her accident. Her insurance agency said they would recover everything from the other driver, which included her lost wages and medical
expenses.

After the delivery driver delivers her lunch order. She sits down on the sofa and watches Blue Bloods and thinks about what she should do.

The next morning, Colette decides she wants to go out and walk along the pier. She doesn’t like being homebound. She carefully changes out of her night clothes and leaves her apartment. She’ll take a trolley that stops near her her neighborhood. She use to take it before she bought her scooter.

The weather outside was a little humid. She was glad she didn’t have her face painted up. She had a feeling that with the weather being as hot as it was, her makeup would start running. A smirk appears on her face as she remembers the photo she saw of a stupid lawyer whose hair dye had started running.

If something like that happened to her, she would feel embarrassed. It wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened, but it never happened to her. It did happen to Florent Dubois.

He was a guy in her clown class and his makeup started running. He didn’t clean his face like he was supposed to or used the right makeup. He was trying to take the cheap route. He learned the hard way why you didn’t cut corners.

Colette sits back and enjoys the ride on the trolley. She loved how open it was and the route it took. In some ways she missed it.

When the trolley arrives at the oceanfront, she gets off and walks down to the boardwalk. She loved performing on the boardwalk. As she walks down the boardwalk, she notices the old confectionery shop was transferring ownership.

She stops and peeks in through the windows to see who was taking over. She notices three young women inside rearranging and moving things around. She wonders what they were going to do with the shop. She loved stopping in and buying their high-calorie cupcakes and sugary sweets.

After watching for a while, she moves on down the boardwalk.

Around noon time, Colette stops at her favorite pizza shop. As she is standing in line, she hears a familiar voice from behind her.

“I can’t believe you broke your arm.” Jerry had spotted Colette standing in line at her favorite pizza spot.

Colette turns around and spots Jerry behind her. A smile appears on her face “You know me, I’m always breaking something.”

“Yes, I do. What happened?” Jerry knew Colette wasn’t above performing dangerous tricks.

“I was in a car accident the other day and I dislocated my shoulder.”

“Ouch! That’s got to hurt.”

“It does, plus my ribs hurt as well.” Colette learned some of her ribs had been broken. They were mostly cracked, but they still hurt.

“Man! That must have been one hell of an accident.”

“It was. My poor Honda can’t be repaired.”

“Next!”

Colette moves forward and places her order. She steps aside to let Jerry place his order. After placing their order, they step over to one of the outside tables and sit down to wait.

“Are you still planning on attending the Pirate Festival?” Jerry knew Colette enjoyed herself at the festival.

“Aye, matey! You couldn’t keep me away from such a festival.” Colette answered in her best pirate voice.

Jerry shakes his head at Colette’s attempt. He knew she was a clown at heart.

“Orders 57 and 58 are ready.” The cashier behind the counter looks toward Colette and Jerry.

“I’ll get them.” Jerry gets up and walks over to the counter to receive the pizzas.

“Thanks.” Colette watches as Jerry walks up to the counter to get their pizzas.

Jerry was a good friend and worked nearby. He loved the pirate culture and she knew he feels he was born in the wrong period. She watches as he walks back over to her and places their pizza on the table.

“Dig in.” As Jerry sits down.

“Thanks.” As Colette takes a slice.