I was on my way to pick Sophia up from preschool and decided to do a little garage sale sweep. You never know where the best sales are going to be, so I was working my way through an unfamiliar neighborhood. I was driving along and saw a group of probably 6 or 7 guys, men, spanning a couple different ethnicities. Here's my observation and I really hope I don't offend anyone. I saw this group of guys and my first instinct was 'trouble'. I wasn't in my neighborhood, I don't know any of these people, and I saw them across 4 lanes of traffic. I have not had a negative experience that would lead me to make that jump. In fact, I've had some really great experiences with people of lots of different ethnicities. So, why? I am a nice person and there isn't anyone I won't talk too. I once stood in my driveway "conversing" with a woman visiting family from Syria for an hour. She was looking for the bus stop her grandchildren would be getting off at. And she knew NO English. The only reason I know she was from Syria was because I ran inside and got an almanac. We got it figured out and for the life of me I still don't know how. So, why when I saw this group of men did I immediately make the jump to 'dangerous situation'? Fairly quickly, I realized what I was doing and decided to blog about it. Why does this happen? Does it happen to anyone else? I'm aware that I do this from time to time and I think that's a good beginning.
Ok, another observation. I think if we're being honest with ourselves, we will admit getting a little dose of euphoria and adrenaline when we see someone else get pulled over. Especially when it's someone that passed you while driving like a total moron. But, if you've ever been in a car accident you know that it is all around crappy. And NOT something that witnessing will give you that little charge. After picking Sophia up from school, we were driving on a 3 lane road; left turn, straight, right turn. There was a big truck in the front, then a semi-expensive looking newish little hybrid kind of car, then me. While we were sitting there, the left turn signal turned green and the guy in the hybrid decided to take a left instead of staying in the straight lane. As he pulled out from behind the truck, he caught his passenger side front door on the bumper, but kept driving. I'm not sure if he didn't know it happened or if he was trying to pull a fast one, but had that left turn signal not turned red, I think he probably would have kept going. After he hit the truck and then pulled into the next lane, the truck driver turned around and looked at me and yelled "HEY!". I was a couple car lengths behind him so I was pretty sure he knew it wasn't me, but I was close enough that I got that horrible car accident pit in my stomach. The two drivers "interacted" a bit and then drove forward so they could pull over. I was sitting at the light watching these 2 guys get out of their trucks and it suddenly hit me; I LOVE seeing people get pulled over. But, I wouldn't wish even a tiny fender bender on anyone. The truck guy looked like Grizzly Adams, the hybrid car guy looked like he could be my dad. Poor guy. I'm pretty sure caving in the side of his car (no damage to Grizzly's truck)was not on his to do list this morning. I still have this sad feeling in my gut. Poo.
That's good, right? I wish I could stop judging me.
These are my observations. I really hope no one is offended by any of this. I am NOT a judgy person. I AM, however, almost an adult kind of if you round up on the "maturity" scale. That means I can have cake for lunch. So I am.
Talk to ya later.
1 comment:
Sadly, I am there with you on all of your observations. I have been freaked out a large group of young men that I don't know. I have laughed myself sick over a jacka$$y driver being pulled over, but hate seeing the car accident on the side of the road (and why do we all need to slow down to look at it?), and I don't even have children, but am absolutely sure that when I do, there will come a day when I threaten to drop them off at the orphanage on the way home. So, have a piece of cake for me...because that's the only way to get through the day sometimes! Smooches - Laura
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