Sunday, July 20, 2008

Maybe it is just that point in my cycle

I was driving to the grocery store on this beautiful evening, the sun sinking before me and the windows down. On one of the little side streets was a guy on a bicycle, heading the opposite direction; I nudged the wheel over to the right a little--there wasn't a ton of room, but there was enough--and smiled at him. And as he passed, he leaned down toward my open window and sneered, as nastily as he could, "Thanks a LOT!"

What? Dude, there was room. There was plenty of room! I smiled at you! I don't mind cyclists; I am patient and I try to share the road, just like the bumper stickers say. But apparently it wasn't enough for this guy, and maybe it is just my present state of mind, but I wanted to pull over and get out with diagrams and chalk and measuring tape and maybe a couple of road flares, to illustrate my case, that I am friendly and a good citizen and he was a self-righteous creep. It was over and done with faster than I can type it; he sailed on, and I went on to fill up my (reusable green) bags with (organic) produce and (free-range) chicken and fresh local bread. But really I felt mostly like crying. Or running back and putting a broom handle through his spokes and sending him ass-over-teakettle into the blackberry bushes in somebody's alley.

Which one of us does that make the bigger bitch?

5 comments:

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper said...

HIM! I had some guy yell at me when I was pulling out of the park-n-ride while he was cutting in front of my car and I felt bad the whole day even though I did nothing wrong. We're sensitive, but people are also jerks? Maybe that is the lesson, if there is one.

Bloke said...

He was probably just a jerk whose only enjoyment in life is his self-appointed job to be mean to car drivers. Don't sweat it. He probably has hemorrhoids.

Anonymous said...

The bigger bitch is most definitely the guy on the bike. What an ass. It only takes a few of them to ruin it for everyone else...road rage is just around the bend.

chicklegirl said...

Him. Definitely.

Kim said...

Aw. It is so sweet of y'all to leap to my defense!