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Ned’s Bad Day

The gear that he intended was reverse,
But to his detriment, he put the car
In drive. At least he didn’t get too far;
And all in all, it could’ve been much worse.

The only other “victim” was a tree,
A pine that Ned had scraped along the side.
He’d peeled away some bark that was its hide,
While Ned complained about his aching knee.

The need to take his keys was evident.
They towed the car away—a crumpled mess.
Poor Ned, of course, was clearly in distress.
“That’s it!” his daughter said. The accident

Was not the first, but it would be the last—
Ned’s happy days of driving now have passed.

.

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Cheryl Corey is a poet who lives in Connecticut. “Three Sisters,” her trio of poems about the sisters of Fate which were first published by the Society of Classical Poets, are featured in “Gods and Monsters,” an anthology of mythological poems (MacMillan Children’s Books, 2023).

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8 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    I can only wonder what inspiration triggered your poem about “Ned’s Bad Day.” It was simultaneously breathtaking, funny, and sad.

    Reply
    • Cheryl Corey

      Roy, this is based on a true incident at a senior/community center. Fortunately, he didn’t hit any other car or person. Sadly, it also affected his lady friend, who relied on him for transportation. She’s now having to rely on public transit, ubers, and the goodwill of friends.

      Reply
  2. Joseph S. Salemi

    A neatly composed sonnet, telling its story in clear and straightforward language. When a poem is primarily a narrative, this is the best choice.

    My father had a similar experience. He had been driving ever since his teenage years without any incident at all. But when he was 76, he had a very close call that could have been a major accident. The next day he gave his car keys to my brother and said “The car is yours. I may ask you to drive me places every so often, but I will never get behind the wheel again. I don’t trust my reflexes.”

    Reply
    • Cheryl Corey

      Your father had courage, as well as common sense. To surrender the keys/license represents a huge loss of freedom and independence. You can know in your mind that it’s the right thing to do, but it still has to be a gut-wrenching decision.

      Reply
  3. Paul A. Freeman

    It took a serious accident for Prince Philip (Queen Elizabeth II’s husband) to give up driving – when he was 97. It can be a difficult thing to give up on many levels: admission that you’re not as able as before, relying on others or public transport to get places, the resultant diminishment of your social life. Of course other opportunities can open up. Getting a pet, taking walks, finding new hobbies and meeting new people.

    As with Joseph, my father had to eventually realise he shouldn’t drive any more.

    Thanks for the succinct, thought-provoking narrative poem-tale, Cheryl.

    Reply
    • Cheryl Corey

      Now that you mention it, I remember the incident with the Prince. Losing one’s license can be a devastating life change for seniors in particular, and there’s a ripple effect for the families as well. My own father is 86 and still seems to be okay driving. Fingers crossed.

      Reply
  4. Paulette Calasibetta

    Cheryl, your skillful poem certainly tells a story that many can relate to.
    My mother was a strong willed woman with Parkinson’s disease; she thought she could continue to drive at 90 ….exasperated with her, I resorted to having her physician advise her, she needed to hand her keys over to me.

    It is hard to spend a lifetime of being independent and than having to surrender.

    Reply
    • Cheryl Corey

      Paulette, I’m sorry you had to take such measures, but it’s probably a lot more common than we realize. Last year I sat through an AARP program to get a small credit deducted from car insurance (four hours – ugh), but it covered a lot of information that affects our ability to drive – eyesight, hearing, reflexes – even minor details such as mirror adjustment and seat height matter.

      Reply

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