Sometimes, you cannot avoid it. I had just dropped an old Italian immigrant lady off at the dentist by Carlisle and Comanche. The day was going along without too much excitement. It was Monday. It was Valentine's Day. It was another day in the cab.

As I slowed down in a line to get on the freeway off Comanche, a big crunch occurred from behind me. I pumped my brakes and bumped a green car in front of me. Just like that, I had been rear ended with four cars involved.

Apparently, a silver car ran into a white car which slammed into me, and then I slightly bumped the green car. Before I got out of the car, my legs buzzed and my head began to swim. Ah, the concussion begins.

Six years before (at almost the same date), I was involved in a much more serious accident. A lady in an SUV T-boned me gong 50 m.p.h. as I made a left hand turn at the end of a light cycle. To this day, folks at the cab company say it was the worst looking wrecked cab they ever brought back to the yard. Fortunately, I didn't have a passenger and most of the damage was on that side of the car. I went to the hospital that day, where the technicians deemed me to be bruised but not broken. I spent another hour sitting around gathering my bearings before leaving without any real medical attention.

This time, I just had a mild concussion. I was dizzy with the pangs of a headache every now and again. Nothing a hospital could do for me. After getting checked out by the fire department, I stood and waited while the other drivers chatted or complained about each other. I've learned that the less you say without being asked, the better. Anything you say can be used against you, and all that.

I knew the accident was caused by the last car hitting the car in front of her which hit me causing me to bump the first car. I knew it wasn't my fault. Apparently, so did everyone else because they left me alone. Even the boyfriend of the one who caused the wreck left me alone after bitching out the driver I bumped. He accused her of stopping suddenly. After the quick accusations (the guilty always talk the most), he took one look at me and kept walking.

That's when I noticed the drivers were all females. They all had nice cars, and they were all females. I guess that's who is out at 1 p.m. on Valentine's Monday. Women and cab drivers.

The car behind me took the brunt of the damage. The front end was totally smashed and her air bag deployed. Don't mess with a Crown Victoria Yellow Cab. You won't win. It did do enough damage to the cab to jack my exhaust system. The police made their report. The insurance people scribble down everyone's info. The back two cars were towed, and the first car drove off. That's when I realized the cab wouldn't start. Everyone had left, and I sat waiting with a concussion in the middle of Comanche for a tow.

It was after two o'clock when I returned to The Yard, and I decided to call it a day. I was a little too dizzy to feel safe behind the wheel. The mechanics said I should have gone to the hospital and tried to sue people for money. I knew I had a minor concussion and would be fine in a couple of days. I didn't want to talk to lawyers I don't have and medical people who can't help me. All in the attempt to get some money out of people. There's more to life than a little bit of money.

The next day, I worked the cab (Tuesday are mandatory for me). You either get back on the horse, or you walk away forever. My neck was stiff, but that was about it. By Thursday, I was was back to normal. Valentine's Day was a wreck, much to the chagrin of my wife, but that's the risks you take when you cruise the Yellow cab. They can come at you from all sides, and sometimes, they even get you.

So even if you didn't get the love you wanted on Valentine's Day, you should be thankful. You could have been rear ended by someone you will never know and left with your head spinning.

Yes, that can be taken in many different ways.

Chris Jungle has ruined yet another holiday.