Tag Archives: cars

Don’t Do That Again!!!

159 Sundays to go.

     Normally I’m a polite and considerate driver.  I don’t usually get mad at other people on the road.   When they maneuver in some way that forces me to maneuver to avoid them or delays me, I am initially annoyed.    But I come back  to earth semi-quickly because they really didn’t do it to me.   I was just there when they  did it.   No one was singling me out for suffering.    Stuff happens and I was there when it happened.      But sometimes I forget that and I am really the only one on the planet and “Why is this happening to me?    Why doest thou forsake me, lord?!?!?   And why are you making me speak in such an archaic way, lord?

      Last week was one of those times when I  lost my mind.    After dropping my wonderful wife off at her school, I decided to take a quick stop at the school district office print shop where an  order was waiting for me.   We were a little earlier because traffic was lighter and I could get it out of the way.   At our school we get a thousand copies a month on our school copy machine.   Sounds like a lot but it never seems to be enough.   Most teachers at our school run out at the end of the month.    We can either suck it up and alter our assessments or we can go to the district print shop and pay out of our pocket for what we need.   This is one of the many things most teachers pay for out of their own middle class salaries.

      Swennyway (So, anyway),  I picked up my order and was going back  to my school.    I went down the road and was behind an SUV who was stopped trying to make the same right I was at an intersection.     This is a busy street and if you don’t go when you get the chance sometimes a long line  of cars comes and its a while  before you get another chance.    The light was green and this SUV was not moving.     Ok, no one’s coming the other way.  I can wait a second before this guy wakes up and sees it is green.    But he’s still not moving…and a second or two later he’s still not moving.    I’m conservative with  my horn blowing and don’t like to use it unless necessary but its becoming necessary.    Finally,  I can’t take it any longer and I blow the horn.   He’s still not moving and I’m  now getting annoyed and I’m in full blown  “why is this happening to me?    Why is the world against me?   I have to get it work!   I don’t have time  for this!!!” mode.   Really, I was only waiting a few seconds but it seemed like forever.  I blow my horn again and I’m making wild motions with my arms and fists.    Just before the moron finally wakes up and starts to make his right  I see a crossing guard appear and he’s leading a child across the street in front of the SUV.     That’s why the guy wasn’t moving.    His 7 acre SUV was blocking my view of this slow moving guard and child and he was waiting patiently for them  to safely cross.    Patiently as he could with a moron behind him leaning on  his horn and gesturing like a madman to do something he couldn’t do.

       Of course I felt terrible and as karmic luck would have it he takes a right and I take a right and we end up parallel to each other going down the street.    He looks over at me with a justifiably angry look on his face.    His window was rolled down and he’s boring holes through me.    I made bowing motions and pointing to myself,  mouthing, “I’m sorry.   I’m wrong.”    Then I rolled my window down as we both came to a stop along side each other.     I said,  “I’m really sorry!    I didn’t see that guard and child.    I’m wrong!   I’m really sorry!”    I could tell he was still mad and had a right to be mad.    Imagine what that guy went through.   Trying to do the right thing and let the child and guard pass and not knowing what the psycho behind is going to do next.  I could have been some gun humper about to brandish his pride and joy.

          Finally before we both went off through the green light he says,  “Don’t do that again!!!”   Probably ruined the rest of his day.   I know it killed mine.    But he’s got a really good story to tell  his co-workers and friends.     Everyone  loves to tell others about how they were wronged and get lots of sympathy.   Even better no one can counter his story with how he should have done this or done that and the situation could’ve been avoided.   He was completely in the right.   He’s a saint.   Me,  I’m a jerk and what’s worse I think  I recognized him.    I think he’s a technology guy at the district except he was going a completely opposite direction away from the schools.    So,  maybe I will avoid another confrontation.    But I would like to see him again and apologize more completely.     Hopefully I have learned my lesson.    But probably not.    I’m human and when it really comes down to it, it’s all about me.   My wants.   My desires.  Me, me, me.    

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