I'm Thankful for My Quick Reflexes

While driving in the city near where I live, one must be constantly on the lookout for minivan-moms. It's not that big of a city, probably around 40,000 to 45,000 population, but I think more than our fair share of the population drives a minivan. Soccer moms and the like, I'm sure. If they're driving behind you, they will likely tailgate. Yesterday during lunch break, I went out to run some errands and immediately as I got on the road, I had a white minivan right on my ass. I get so sick and tired of that. Turns out, that white minivan was a woman I work with... which is pretty common in our town, too. The person driving like a jerk could be someone you know or work with. I learned that lesson back when I was 19 years old and flipped off an old fart that turned out to be one of the managers in the department where I worked. Not good. I don't do that anymore.

Today, I had a dark red minivan cut me off, zipping in between me and this big truck in front of me. I jumped on my brakes and swerved left, avoiding a collision. What the hell. If I had been looking in any other direction, we would have hit. And I discovered that apparently I have an established minivan line, and that chick crossed it. I followed her. It took her a while to realize what I was doing, but then she stopped in the street in a residential neighborhood. I think she realized if she didn't stop, I was going to follow her home and find out where she lives. I'll give 'em one thing, those minivan moms ain't entirely stupid.

So I pulled up next to her and put down the passenger window. An attractive blonde (they're always blonde) woman anywhere from 30 to 50 years old immediately started apologizing. I said, "you know what I'm thankful for?" She looked at me like I was nuts. "I'm thankful for my quick reflexes, otherwise, I would have hit you. This is my daughter's car, so you should be thankful it wasn't her driving. She would have hit you." She apologized again and explained that she suddenly realized she was turning on the wrong street, so she had to get over a lane and she just did it without thinking. I just acknowledged that seems to be a common trait among women who drive minivans, then told her to have a nice Thanksgiving holiday and drive safe, now, y'hear.

Anyway, it made me feel better. I might just have to do that more often.