Today I got the look. I also got the honk. In one shebang, in 8 seconds, the look and the honk. I must have done something terrible wrong and inconsiderate. I must not have been paying attention.
I only had one child in the car. I was paying attention. I wasn't on the phone. I wasn't trying to undue an ensuing fight by flailing my right arm like a whip to the folks sitting behind me, I was actually calm and subdued. It was still early.
Driving my preschooler to school I noticed a stretch of the road was soaked from some sprinklers which remained on longer than they should have been. The puddles I was approaching were deep enough to cause a spray and dirty the windshields passing over the wet road.
My car had been washed on Friday. This was the first time I had gotten my car washed since January. I slowed my car down to avoid the inevitable spatter of dirty, street water. Evidently the car behind me wasn't pleased with my slowing down. She honked. She than speed past me, turned her head toward my window, and glared her fiery arrow eyes in my direction.
I speed to reach her car, I slowed until I was even with her car - window to window, and smiled enough to stretch my face until it hurt a little. From then on she avoided me entirely. I think my kindness, although laced with sarcasm, squelched her bitterness. Either that, or she labeled me as a freaked out mom, on an overdose of children. That's okay.
I wanted to pull over and explain my motive, but she turned right and I went left.
My car remained clean, that is, until it rained. It always rains a week within my car getting washed, always. I should know better, really.
I only had one child in the car. I was paying attention. I wasn't on the phone. I wasn't trying to undue an ensuing fight by flailing my right arm like a whip to the folks sitting behind me, I was actually calm and subdued. It was still early.
Driving my preschooler to school I noticed a stretch of the road was soaked from some sprinklers which remained on longer than they should have been. The puddles I was approaching were deep enough to cause a spray and dirty the windshields passing over the wet road.
My car had been washed on Friday. This was the first time I had gotten my car washed since January. I slowed my car down to avoid the inevitable spatter of dirty, street water. Evidently the car behind me wasn't pleased with my slowing down. She honked. She than speed past me, turned her head toward my window, and glared her fiery arrow eyes in my direction.
I speed to reach her car, I slowed until I was even with her car - window to window, and smiled enough to stretch my face until it hurt a little. From then on she avoided me entirely. I think my kindness, although laced with sarcasm, squelched her bitterness. Either that, or she labeled me as a freaked out mom, on an overdose of children. That's okay.
I wanted to pull over and explain my motive, but she turned right and I went left.
My car remained clean, that is, until it rained. It always rains a week within my car getting washed, always. I should know better, really.
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