To cleanse the palate before election-night coverage begins, video proof that truth can be stranger than fiction even when the fiction’s directed by Michael Bay. You’re about to watch two planes collide in mid-air with nine skydivers in total aboard — four of them outside the plane, on the step and ready to jump, when impact occurs. Death toll: Zero, with one of the pilots suffering only minor injuries. Believe it or not, the pilot in the second plane was able to steer it safely back to the airport. Tell me how likely any of those details seem to you after you watch the clip.

To a man, the divers say they’re willing to jump again in the future. I’m treating the clip as a metaphor for the shutdown and the RINO/tea party infighting during and after: It was explosive and potentially disastrous for the GOP, but everyone got out OK thanks to their ObamaCare parachutes. Onward to the midterms!

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy