How One Mistake Can Ruin a Smile

Years had passed since the accident that stole my Great Uncle Aaron’s ability to smile. The condition baffled doctors who hypothesized that a localized region of synapses in Aaron’s brain that controlled the muscles that allowed people to smile had become blocked as a result of the blunt head injury. He was informed that he would likely never smile again. My Great Uncle Aaron was once a kindhearted man with a bright personality who enjoyed spending time with his classmates in school and went on to become one of the bright faces displayed on a billboard that advertised the University he once attended. Only months after the billboard was posted when Aaron suffered his tragic accident the smiling face plastered on the forty-foot by ten-foot sign only served as a depressing reminder of something he could never have again. Of course, our family was grateful he survived the severe head-on collision. Doctors and law enforcement alike believed it was nothing short of a miracle that he was relatively unscathed. It seemed like everyone except for Aaron felt that he had come out of the accident in one piece, whole, and alive. Aaron knew he was not whole. He was not fully alive. His lawyers testified that the accident could have been easily prevented. No one believed that more than Aaron. “This was a case of pure negligence,” the lawyer said. “A case of technology getting in the way of the driver’s seat. If the driver had paid attention to the signs along the interstate ramp, he would have noticed they clearly stated WRONG WAY. But despite the driver’s reservations, they continued to drive onto a nearly deserted highway going the wrong direction. “A map application which advertised faster commutes encouraged the driver to put himself and my client in a life-threatening situation,” the lawyer continued. “The driver didn’t think twice because of his complete trust in a faulty piece of technology.” The driver of the truck was somehow in worse shape than Aaron. His arm sling and leg cast along with a few scars on his face that hadn’t fully healed conveyed that he was more of a victim than Aaron. Those ailments, Aaron knew, would heal in time. The jury quickly developed the notion that Aaron had a sour attitude and expressed disbelief in his inability to smile. But still, his lawyer pressed onward. “It wasn’t the only mistake the driver has blamed on faulty technology. As you may remember, the headlights on the pickup truck were not in use at the time of the accident; 3:15 AM. The driver claims that the truck had automatic lights, and upon further inspection, it was found that the driver had the headlights set in a manual mode which did not activate the lights. If my client had seen approaching headlights, he likely would have been able to avoid the collision entirely.” Aaron recalled the moment he noticed the black truck ahead of him. Within seconds it appeared seemingly from nowhere and struck him like a phantom wall. Everything in his car lurched forward at seventy miles an hour as the two vehicles mashed together in a crumpled cluster of glass, metal, and debris. It happened so quickly that Aaron’s head took a direct hit to the steering wheel just a millisecond before his airbags deployed, which doctors believed may have caused further damage. The court ruled that the driver of the truck was innocent. A blanket statement was made on behalf of the map application for the glitch in directions and a reminder to always check that headlights are working properly was issued by the pickup truck company. It was a hard slap in the face for Aaron. The rest of the world got a slap on the wrist while Aaron faced a trauma that no one wanted to recognize. He knew his quality of life would only diminish. Following the accident, Aaron grew to distrust technology. Eventually, he felt comfortable in the driver’s seat again, but he never relied on any maps or GPS technology. He learned to utilize road signs and print maps. His distrust turned into a full-blown phobia as he fell victim to conspiracy theories about computers, microphones, cameras, and phones. He took precautions that ranged from placing a post-it notes over the built-in webcam in his laptop to completely deconstructing furniture in hotel rooms to check for hidden cameras or other spying technology. In time Aaron sought therapy for his irrational fears as they had begun to affect his job, his friends, and his family. Eventually, the fear subsided into a subconscious heightened awareness he felt whenever he used a new piece of tech. Those who knew Aaron was grateful for his progress and made sure to tell him how proud they were of him. Aaron felt a warmth bubbling inside of himself because of the kind words, but the warmth was always replaced by a cold bitterness as he was reminded of his inability to physically express that joy. As the years went on he received less positive reinforcement from his community. They simply forgot his fears were an issue as he became better at managing them. Aaron grew accustomed to his inability to smile, but it came at the cost of his once bright and lively personality. The inability of my Great Uncle to smile has impacted not only myself but every single member of my family. It is easy to say you will be cautious and aware behind the wheel until a traumatic event occurs in your own family. Every day, my family and I learn from the traumatic event and forever trauma my Great Uncle suffers through every day. The moral of the story is, to consider the importance of safe driving, it only takes one mistake to change your life forever.