I might’ve been in danger of being the star of one of those viral videos last week. You know the ones I’m talking about–where an older person is caught angrily shaking his or her fist at a young whippersnapper. Oh, I was the older person in this scenario, by the way.
The morning didn’t start with me being cranky. In search of something, anything, to knock out my allergy symptoms, I’d gone to Lucky’s Market in Tallahassee to see what interesting natural remedies I might find. While I didn’t locate any products that claimed to make me well, I did buy some really great organic cookies. Surely they had some medicinal value.
After paying for my cookies I decided to walk to Newk’s for lunch. Being careful to check for traffic, I set off across the parking lot, first making a quick stop at my car to drop off the cookies. As I stepped away from my car another vehicle came speeding through with no regard for pedestrian traffic. The driver narrowly missed hitting a sweet elderly woman, okay, it was me, when he made a sharp right turn into a parking space.
I was livid. I yelled, “Slow down, you bladder head. This is a freaking parking lot not a race track!” I might’ve literally shaken my fist at him.
That’s when the driver seemed to think better of parking in that spot and drove away. Although my heart was racing, I realized I probably looked a little crazy standing there. I also realized that perhaps I’d overreacted and might’ve even put myself in danger. After all, I do live in Florida. I have no excuse for my behavior, but hopefully I’ll think twice before erupting again in a state where every Tom, Dick, and Harriet seems to own a gun.
Perhaps I’ll take up meditation. 
Peace(!), people!
Glad they took off! You were totally justified in telling them off, but “Florida”, as they say, so I understand your fear of reprisal!
I figure it’s only a short matter of time before Florida just breaks out into an Old West shootout in every parking lot. I think even my grandmother is armed these days.
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I own a gun! I can even shoot it, but it only leaves the house to go to the shooting range. It scares the crap out of me.
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I grew up shooting guns with my dad (he’s a real “gun enthusiast”), but I’m so jumpy I think my husband would move out if I told him I was buying one. He would get up in the middle of the night to get some water and I would assume it was a burglar and light him up!
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That’s one of my biggest fears. My husband travels a lot and when he’s gone I sleep with my gun on the bedside table. I’ve made him promise to call before he returns to the house so I won’t accidentally shoot him!
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Good thinking!
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Peace to you too Leslie. you scared ’em x
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They scared me first!
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Then you did even better !!!
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Huh, I think you had EVERY excuse for you behaviour! What an inconsiderate twerp! I would have probably thrown something at him, scaring you like that. I was crossing a road yesterday, I’d LOOKED before I’d crossed, when this jerk of a woman drove up so fast and turned the corner (the road I was crossing was at a corner) without indicating OR slowing down, when I was halfway across! She beeped so loudly at me, and I am a 36 week pregnant lady with painful bits so I couldn’t really run, and I got so mad I just stopped where I was and yelled ‘WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING, YOU STUPID COW!?’. I was pretty shocked at the insanity with which I yelled at her, but when she saw me turn and saw my massive front she did slow down and didn’t respond to me so something must have got into her skull lol!
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Oh! So scary! Glad you are ok! Last summer one of my old school friends was killed by a hit and run driver while crossing a street. He was a really BIG guy, so I have to think the driver was texting and just didn’t see him.
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Wow, that is absolutely terrible 😦 I am so sorry to hear that. The amount of drivers I have seen texting, even while doing 70-80mph on the motorway, is appalling. They KNOW it’s wrong, and they still do it!
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It’s just horribly irresponsible.
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Agreed!
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That thought of a gun after your reaction puts the whole issue in stark perspective. I sometimes wonder whether I would have taken on stuff today that I didn’t think about in the past – and over here it’s mostly knives
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Guns are something I think about daily. I’m not afraid to go places and do things, but I’m always careful where I position myself in restaurants, and I’m always thinking in terms of escape routes and/or barricades. That can’t be a healthy way to live!
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Dreadful
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Sadly, that’s are permanent normal now. I’m pretty much the same when I’m out in public. – Marty
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Today I hesitated about going into a restaurant because there was a gentleman acting oddly in the foyer. Well dressed, long coat. He seemed agitated. I went ahead and dined there, but I sat where I could keep an eye on him.
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Maybe your comment will make the young whippersnapper take driving more seriously. Glad you’re ok.
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I’m not going to hold my breath!
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