Totaled

A friend back home was sharing some wisdom with me today and gave me an illustration. He’d been talking to an insurance adjuster who said many cars that are wrecked are declared totaled simply because it’s easier than actually figuring out how to fix them. Rather than go to all the trouble to list all the parts and procedures necessary to repair the car, they simply toss it to the junkyard. It would never be the car it once was anyway. Oh it might look fine and drive fine if you spent hours fixing it, but it will never be “like new” again. Even if it’s fully repaired, in the back of your mind, you’ll never forget that it was once almost totaled. So let’s just toss it out and buy a new one. Never mind the cost, it’s just part of the game.

But what if it could be repaired. What if there was a body shop that could, quite literally, work “miracles,” and make the car, not just repaired, but better than ever? But this car has two owners and requires two keys. The body shop has to have both keys in order to get to work on it. One owner is willing to give the body shop a try, and offers their key. The other owner refuses to give up their key. Not actively refuses, mind you. They just won’t DO anything to get the key into the hands of the body shop. What happens to the car? It’s not totaled, but it’s not being fixed either. It just sits there. Unrepaired, rusting and deteriorating. Not only is the damage not being fixed, it’s getting worse. Now, this body shop is not going to grab the owners, hold them up by their ankles, and shake them until their keys fall out. No, this body shop is run by the consummate Gentleman. He’ll joyfully fix your car…IF you give Him the keys.

If not, you’re only option is to find someone willing to declare the car “totaled.” Unfortunately, in our society, that’s very easy to get done.