One day, the realist, driving his new car, fell into a patch of road that was unexpectedly wet and lost control of the vehicle.
At the very same time and travelling on the opposite side of the road, was the optimist, driving a respectably well-maintained, yet older vehicle, who fell into the same predicament.
With both cars careening dangerously out of control, they both collided into one another's automobile.
The sounds of stones and rubber lasted only a brief moment - giving way to the cacophony of metal to metal, breaking glass, and the explosive sounds of airbags being deployed and then...
...Nothing but the spinning of wheels, as both cars came to rest.
With the both vehicles in heaps, the realist and the optimist unlocked their seat belts and rolled out of their cars.
The realist immediately called for a tow truck and wept to the emergency dispatcher that he was injured, though not severely.
The optimist stood, brushed himself off noticing a few scrapes and then looked upwards. He smiled. He called for the same, letting the operator on the other end of the line know that he was fine save for a few minor scratches.
The realist and the optimist both sat on the soggy ground. They surveyed the damage to their automobiles, and they both looked to each other's injuries. Much to their surprise, the damage to their cars and their injuries appeared to be very similar.
"How 'bout that?"
They both, not faulting the other, commented on how ironic that little slippery patch of roadway sent them both to crash - into each other.
"It could have been so much worse."
"Ah well."
At that the optimist stood. He once more smiled and looked upward.
The realist, feeling relieved to be alive, commented, "Well, one day, we'll laugh about all this."
The optimist turned. Realizing that "one day" was today, and may not be tomorrow or any other day following, he put his hand on the fellow's shoulder replied, "Why wait?"
At the very same time and travelling on the opposite side of the road, was the optimist, driving a respectably well-maintained, yet older vehicle, who fell into the same predicament.
With both cars careening dangerously out of control, they both collided into one another's automobile.
The sounds of stones and rubber lasted only a brief moment - giving way to the cacophony of metal to metal, breaking glass, and the explosive sounds of airbags being deployed and then...
...Nothing but the spinning of wheels, as both cars came to rest.
With the both vehicles in heaps, the realist and the optimist unlocked their seat belts and rolled out of their cars.
The realist immediately called for a tow truck and wept to the emergency dispatcher that he was injured, though not severely.
The optimist stood, brushed himself off noticing a few scrapes and then looked upwards. He smiled. He called for the same, letting the operator on the other end of the line know that he was fine save for a few minor scratches.
The realist and the optimist both sat on the soggy ground. They surveyed the damage to their automobiles, and they both looked to each other's injuries. Much to their surprise, the damage to their cars and their injuries appeared to be very similar.
"How 'bout that?"
They both, not faulting the other, commented on how ironic that little slippery patch of roadway sent them both to crash - into each other.
"It could have been so much worse."
"Ah well."
At that the optimist stood. He once more smiled and looked upward.
The realist, feeling relieved to be alive, commented, "Well, one day, we'll laugh about all this."
The optimist turned. Realizing that "one day" was today, and may not be tomorrow or any other day following, he put his hand on the fellow's shoulder replied, "Why wait?"
