Thank you, dear stranger, in the maroon Nissan...

Today, as I crept my large pale blue Hyundai Entourage out into the intersection of route 9 from a private side road,  you nonchalantly continued to drive. You even pretended to glance at something, perhaps a falling leaf, on the other side of the road, while all the while my van's nose jutted obtrusively out into your lane. Instead of giving me the hairy eyeball or clenching your jaw and giving me the bird, you cooly and calmly let your life continue without giving any attention to the terrible automotive faux pas I committed. You have proven to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is, indeed one human being left who does not have a terrible case of road rage. In fact, I didn't even see you mutter a profanity. Perhaps you hissed or sighed a bit when your heart skipped a beat at the sight of my creeping blue tank nosing it's way into your lane so I could see who was coming. There you were, 10 feet from my bumper, I saw you! Just in time. And you, kind sir, gave me no notice. You allowed me to feel that people can almost make a mistake, but then realize it and be cut a break.

A few weeks back my husband and I were confronted with a decision. At a busy four way stop all driver's were being exceptionally nice for Massachusetts drivers. We were all yielding our right to turn in hopes that someone would make a decision to turn. We made this turn at the expense of a much harried driver who obviously had somewhere to be quite quickly. Not quickly enough, though, that she and her friend couldn't follow us and honk their horn while scowling and throwing up crooked middle fingers at our poor decision making skills. I waved to them as if they were my long lost cousins pretending to not notice how angry they were. I always find it humorous how upset some people allow themselves to get behind the wheel of a car. I'm the type of person who sucks air through my teeth when I see someone pull out right in front of moving traffic because they're sick of waiting. Then as that person drives by, I like to smile my widest grin at them. Just to let them know...I get it. I've been there. When people almost back into me in parking lots because we're backing out at the same time and we just so happen to be in one another's blind spots, well, I smile and wave and allow them to go. I don't roll my eyes and glare at them as if to say "you effin' asshole, why don't you watch where you're going, OK? Stupid!!!" No, I understand that these things happen, that this world is hurried and people make judgement calls that aren't always the best, but given the lack of telepathic communication, most of us are doing our best. And, well, the ones who aren't, work on it? 

So, again, Sir, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for NOT making me feel like a complete asshat today. I spend enough of my time doing that when I haven't made any mistakes.