I must be maturing because after almost being smashed into today I avoided a fight by actually, can you believe it, being reasonable.
Had my daughter in the car and was going to the coffee shop from the toy store.
Driving up a road near a merge before the coffee shop. A guy was trying to pull out, I was on his side ready to turn right.
I had the signal on but he pulled right into me anyway.
Quick reflexes and defensive driving allowed me to swerve and avoid him at the last second.
I stuck my open hand out the side window and turned right into the coffee shop. He followed.
I got out of the car, and as I walked around to get my kid out, he jumped in my face and said, "Nice driving asshole!"
I said, "If I didn't swerve you would've smashed right into me."
"Yeah," he said, "well you better watch who you flip the bird to, tough guy."
I said, "Well, maybe you could pay attention, I had my turn signal on."
To which he gracefully replied, "Oh yeah, I didn't see any turn signal, so fuck you!" Then he walked into Starbucks.
Hmmm, at first I thought to hell with this I'm just going to leave (because, he went inside to get coffee or what-ever.
I had my 4 yr old with me, and quite frankly didn't need the grief, but figured, hey, it's on my list so to hell with it).
On the way in my daughter said, "Daddy, I'm not going to talk to angry people like that." I said, "Smart move, you never know what's bugging somebody."
We went in, I got my bag of coffee and waited in line. The guy was huffing and puffing all around after he got his "mocha latte" while I stood there ignoring him and being patient. He walked behind me to get his coffee stick to which I imagined he would be shoving in his ass on the way home. He stood there graling at the back of my head (or whatever?).
Figuring it wasn't over, and that I needed to take charge of the situation before it got more out of hand,
I turned and said, "Excuse me sir, but I didn't flip you the bird out there, I just stuck my open hand up
and out of my window like, hey, and besides, I would never be flipping anybody off with my kid in the car."
"I mean, I did get a bit heated because you would've hit my daughter's side of the car."
"The car means nothing to me compared to her."
Then he changed his tune (maybe because as he stood behind me he saw my huge traps, wide shoulders,
unfrayed demeaner, and/or my four year old daughter, I figured any one of those would have sufficed).
He responded, "Ok, I can see you are being a gentleman, maybe I was a bit rash."
I put my hand out and said, "Thanks for being reasonable, let's start over."
He shook my hand (in a very intimidatingly firm manner to which I laughed privately) and we let it go at that.
He was about 5 inches taller than I, but we probably weighed the same.
I'm 6' and 220, bodyfat around 10%, if that, and still feel hard as a rock.
I feel strongly the muscle I worked with and held for 10 years at around 245.
He had a basketball build and narrow shoulders. Had an expensive Volvo and was wearing gym clothes.
Obviously an aerobicizer. I figured I could have....(*%&##*)..., but just decided to rise above it.
I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone right now, as my personal demands are sufficient.
I'm in a building stage right now, tearing myself and others down is "au passe" (in the past) for me.
I'm almost surprised to read me writing this stuff after the way I was 2 years ago,
but after getting stabbed last December and almost bleeding to death,
and with the death of my son's mother to cancer a month ago,
and after having a massive bleed-out of my nose last week after breaking a blood vessel in my head,
I just figured (while holding my daughter's hand) there were more important things to be thankful for.
Had my daughter in the car and was going to the coffee shop from the toy store.
Driving up a road near a merge before the coffee shop. A guy was trying to pull out, I was on his side ready to turn right.
I had the signal on but he pulled right into me anyway.
Quick reflexes and defensive driving allowed me to swerve and avoid him at the last second.
I stuck my open hand out the side window and turned right into the coffee shop. He followed.
I got out of the car, and as I walked around to get my kid out, he jumped in my face and said, "Nice driving asshole!"
I said, "If I didn't swerve you would've smashed right into me."
"Yeah," he said, "well you better watch who you flip the bird to, tough guy."
I said, "Well, maybe you could pay attention, I had my turn signal on."
To which he gracefully replied, "Oh yeah, I didn't see any turn signal, so fuck you!" Then he walked into Starbucks.
Hmmm, at first I thought to hell with this I'm just going to leave (because, he went inside to get coffee or what-ever.
I had my 4 yr old with me, and quite frankly didn't need the grief, but figured, hey, it's on my list so to hell with it).
On the way in my daughter said, "Daddy, I'm not going to talk to angry people like that." I said, "Smart move, you never know what's bugging somebody."
We went in, I got my bag of coffee and waited in line. The guy was huffing and puffing all around after he got his "mocha latte" while I stood there ignoring him and being patient. He walked behind me to get his coffee stick to which I imagined he would be shoving in his ass on the way home. He stood there graling at the back of my head (or whatever?).
Figuring it wasn't over, and that I needed to take charge of the situation before it got more out of hand,
I turned and said, "Excuse me sir, but I didn't flip you the bird out there, I just stuck my open hand up
and out of my window like, hey, and besides, I would never be flipping anybody off with my kid in the car."
"I mean, I did get a bit heated because you would've hit my daughter's side of the car."
"The car means nothing to me compared to her."
Then he changed his tune (maybe because as he stood behind me he saw my huge traps, wide shoulders,
unfrayed demeaner, and/or my four year old daughter, I figured any one of those would have sufficed).
He responded, "Ok, I can see you are being a gentleman, maybe I was a bit rash."
I put my hand out and said, "Thanks for being reasonable, let's start over."
He shook my hand (in a very intimidatingly firm manner to which I laughed privately) and we let it go at that.
He was about 5 inches taller than I, but we probably weighed the same.
I'm 6' and 220, bodyfat around 10%, if that, and still feel hard as a rock.
I feel strongly the muscle I worked with and held for 10 years at around 245.
He had a basketball build and narrow shoulders. Had an expensive Volvo and was wearing gym clothes.
Obviously an aerobicizer. I figured I could have....(*%&##*)..., but just decided to rise above it.
I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone right now, as my personal demands are sufficient.
I'm in a building stage right now, tearing myself and others down is "au passe" (in the past) for me.
I'm almost surprised to read me writing this stuff after the way I was 2 years ago,
but after getting stabbed last December and almost bleeding to death,
and with the death of my son's mother to cancer a month ago,
and after having a massive bleed-out of my nose last week after breaking a blood vessel in my head,
I just figured (while holding my daughter's hand) there were more important things to be thankful for.
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