I might have had a relapse from my apparently chronic case of Old Rage last week. A relapse that allowed good nature to override the Old Rage.
I
was driving home from the Gas Station Chicken Store with my precious 44
oz Diet Coke, approaching the clustercluck intersection between Orb K
on the right, and the Save-A-Lot/Subway/Dollar Store mini-mall on the
left. No lights. Just a left turn lane for those Save-A-Lot bound. It's
really hard to get out of Orb K and that mini-mall. I always plan my own
errands to allow a right turn out of each lot, to lessen the confusion
of that clucking intersection.
There I was, rolling
along at the legal speed limit of 30 mph, when a car started to creep
out from Orb K's lot. Sometimes they do this. Get their bumper right up
to the roadway, ready to peel out of there when the coast is clear. I
took my right foot off T-Hoe's gas pedal, and held it poised over the
brake pedal. Just in case.
Sweet Gummi Mary! The
mid-size silver sedan nosed out into my lane, and stopped! The old lady
behind the wheel was looking right at me. Frozen. Like a deer in the headlights. Her mouth an "O" of
surprise. She reminded me of Vicki Lawrence as "Mama" on Mama's Family. And that face in The Scream.
I
wasn't even mad! I slowed down and checked my mirror for left-turners,
and inched T-Hoe around the front end of that silver sedan by using the
left-turn lane. Nothing was stuck in my craw. Not a drop of rain hit my
Taking Home the Magical Elixir Parade. My granny panties clung to my
ample rumpus smoothly, unwadded. I didn't even mutter profanities. I
know how hard it is to get out of there, especially if you're
indecisive.
Yeah. I had a momentary relapse from my Old Rage.
At least she didn't sweave!!
ReplyDeleteHello from Idaho and haven't yet blog about a driving adventure. It's pretty dull. Maybe when he get some snow on road and the big four wheel drives passes you like your standing still, and little while you will see them in ditch.
ReplyDeleteStop in from Drifting though life and if you have time stop in for a cup of coffee
fishducky,
ReplyDeleteThat, she did not! She was quite decisive in her traffic-obstructing technique.
***
Dora,
No driving adventure is too dull to blog about! You're sure to get a good story out of most encounters on the highways and byways.
So nice of you to gently ease out of her way. I've noticed my Old Rage days coincide with the days my legs ache and feel like they weigh a metric tonne each.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty much grumpy all the time. That lady looked overwhelmed. She couldn't back up because the car behind her crept closer, thinking she was pulling out onto the road. I felt bad for her. It's like she realized she'd made a bad decision, but couldn't do anything about it.
Bless her heart. She probably peed a little when she did that! I was tooling down a very busy 4 lane back in Minnesota one day when a car about 2 car lengths in front of me stopped short, then BACKED UP, having missed the turn she wanted to make. It was the tiniest old lady and she was determined to get into the parking lot of a flower store. I would have gone around the block if I missed the drive! I suppose she was lucky I was the car behind her. I stopped and stayed well behind until she got into the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteI hope she had a Depends! Your backing-up lady is something I have yet to experience. I'm afraid I would not have held my tongue with that scenario. Even though I was just echoing off T-Hoe's closed-up windows.