This happened to me shortly after a soul crushing divorce/bankruptcy/custody battle from hell.
My car was in reposession, tags were expired (ex stuck me with a $12k tax bill that prevented me from getting new tags) no insurance either.
It was almost christmas and my 4 kids and I were broke...ex wa $23K behind in child support while living in a literal mansion and driving a range rover and not giving a shit to even see the kids.
So I'm picking up the last kid from school and trying to figure out if we're all 5 going to share a can of chili and a tube of cresent rolls for dinner again.....when this dude backs into me while stopped at the light.
I'm like well shit:
We pull off into the parking lot and a little old man toddles out of the car in tears. Just balling his eyes out....must've been 70+, not super elderly but pretty old.
The damage to my car is pretty light, his bumper is pretty trashed. I was so relieved my car was still working and that I could try and make life happen for my kids and me for another day that I started laughing.
So there you have it...me laughing, old guy crying, kids in the car with huge eyes....1billion school parents rubbernecking....police inbound for sure.
Instead of trying to explain why I was laughing---and the old guy was so devastated looking that I just embraced him.
I'm not a hugger...I hate to touch people. I don't shop at big box stores or go in crowds....if there is a huge line for something then I'm not doing it. I don't know what came over me except that I was genuinely happy (also scheming to end it ASAP before cops arrive) and he was so upset.
I guess his transmission slipped out of gear and it was a common problem with that car.
Things improved a lot for my kiddos and I after a few more setbacks. Mom is still MIA....the state does almost nothing to make her pay what is now like $50k in back child support. Oh well, small price to pay for not having to deal with her bullshit