Brag Post
This morning I went to the taco stand next to the gas station for breakfast. I pulled in slowly and paused a moment before deciding on which spot I wanted. While I was hesitating, a guy zoomed around me and took the closest spot. I was mad and shot him the finger. I almost drove away in anger, but I was really in the mood for a taco. So I took a spot that was 20 feet further away from the taco stand. My first inclination was to seethe and pout about having to walk the 20 extra feet. I dreaded to go and stand next to that parking spot thief and wait for him and his friend to order ahead of me. I was hungry and grouchy.
But as I sat there and thought about it, I realized it wasn’t his fault. I have been driving very slowly and carefully like the little old lady that I am for nearly a decade. I haven’t gotten a single ticket since I slowed down, either. He is a young man. I drove just like that when I was his age. Not only that, but my dog put her foot on the button and rolled down the window as I was pulling into the parking lot. So not only was I driving slowly like a little old lady, I also paused the car and rolled up the window while I was thinking about where I wanted to park.
There was no way the guy who zoomed around me and parked could have known what I was doing. He didn’t know whether I was going to pull into the gas pump or the taco stand. For all he knew, I might have pulled over because I was having mechanical problems. Because I hesitated and sat there for several seconds. And he didn’t honk at me or anything. He just went around me. Albeit very quickly, and I didn’t see him coming. So I was startled. But I would have done the same thing. All things considered, I talked myself out of being pouty and standing behind him in line all in a huff probably causing us both to get indigestion.
There was still a problem, though. I shot the finger at him. So I dreaded to go stand behind him in line because he might be all in a huff about that. I am sure he thought, “What the hell is this lady doing?!?!” Before he zoomed around me. I am sure my driving annoyed him. I thought about how to lighten up the situation so we could both feel better about it and have a good day…
I walked up to get in line. He and his friend were directly ahead of me talking. I leaned in kind of close to them and said with a grin, “Boy you sure pulled a fast one on me!”
He looked at me quizzically for a second like he didn’t know what I was talking about.
“I said you zoomed around me and took that parking spot I was looking at!”
He said, “Oh! You’re the lady who was in the red SUV!”
I said, “Yes and I wanted that spot!”
His friend said, “He’s a military driver. He’s like that!”
I said, again with a grin, “Well I was in the military too, but I don’t drive like that!”
He said, “I’m sorry I took your spot!”
I sad, “It’s okay. I’m just kidding around with you.”
I came away from the incident all proud of myself for several reasons wanting to brag about it. I could have let the issue ruin my day, or at least my breakfast, but I didn’t. I decided to have fun with it instead. I could have done more than just shoot him the finger at the moment. I could have acted like an ass while waiting in line to get a taco. I could have ruined his day. But I decided not to do that either. Neither one of us got indigestion over the situation. We both smiled and had fun talking about what happened. He was cute. He’s a veteran. I can now make believe I have made an ally who would stand up for me if I ever got bullied by our tyrannical government, when he was around to witness it. So glad I was able to have fun, put myself at ease, and put him at ease too. This is a good day.
