anyone who knows me will tell you I try to cultivate good driving karma. I'm polite. cautious. mostly obedient to the laws. I don't rage. sure, I'm game for the occasional stoplight drag race or antagonizing an aggressively obnoxious driver. but generally, I'm a good driving citizen. and I believe it pays off for me in good parking spots and other drivers' courtesies.
however, good driving karma means nothing during the holiday season, I find. especially in mall parking situations.
yesterday, while looking for a spot, I spied one on the opposite side of the street. I went to the end of the block into a rotary to circle back for it. a white Lexus cut me off entering the rotary I was already in. I shrugged and continued on toward my intended parking space.
you can guess what happened next. after partially passing the parking space, Mr. Lexus decided he wanted it and stopped. but since I had planned on taking it, I was also there, and he needed me to back up so he could get into the spot. so he starts making furious hand signals to tell me to back up. and I make hand signals to say that I too wanted that spot. and then, he actually gets out of the car and comes to my window to tell me what he wants. he's at least 6 feet, grey haired, probably late fifties, wearing expensive clothes.
he says, "you need to back up so I can get into that space."
I said, "I just circled the block for that space and you already passed it." (and you illegally cut me off in the circle to boot)
he mumbles a few more things and flashes me the totality of his frustration. gets back into his car, puts it in reverse, and waits. makes more hand signals.
now, at this point, I could have squeezed around him and gotten into the spot. I could have just sat there and turned it into a standoff. but I'm lazy. and I don't choose to expend energy on that sort of thing. pick your battles and so on. so I shake my head, laugh, and put my car in reverse. when he parks and gets out, I roll down my window and say, "Merry Christmas!"
yeah, it was sarcastic. but not snotty. still, as I drive away, he is loudly regaling me with all the reasons he is right and I am wrong. and I know that for the rest of the day, he will feel triumphant in his moral victory. how do I know? because the lines in his face show that he steeps in righteous indignation quite regularly.
lose and laugh. it makes more attractive wrinkles.
