Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Who's the Bigger Man Here?

I considered getting down from my car, kicking his door, and surrendering my face as punching bag--but I thought better of it. 

When an Innova driver with plate number ZBT323 (wow, I actually memorized his plates--anger DOES make you sharper) poked his head out of his car, shouted "Asshole! I'm parking here!" in his big-baby-tantrum voice, and slammed his car door promptly, I honestly felt kind of sorry for the guy. His balding head was throbbing, cheeks seemingly flailing, and his three Povedan daughters and the wife sitting shotgun seemed to slump in their seats at the embarrassing aggro-ferocity of their pater de familia. 

It was embarrassing for him because I wasn't even going to take this big baby's parking slot. The Eastwood Mall parking lot was abundant with parking spaces and it looked like the red Innova in front of me had passed the first vacant slot. He simply stopped at the turn past the vacant slot, no hazards to back up-no nothing. Even with my slight reversal as a mobile suggestion for him to back up and take the slot he had passed was for naught.  So I honked him so I could proceed and take one of the slots I saw by the entrance to the mall. 

Thus, Mr. Fury had his moment and dropped the "asshole" bit with his hapless daughters in the back seat. I protested with a lengthy honk, paused momentarily parallel to his car, and gave him the death stare as his bewildered family looked on.  There was a standoff in raised chins and gritted teeth, but I thought better of giving him a piece of my mind and a piece of my shin. A reverse reaction provokes more thought than a physical provocation--or even one of verbal hostility. Really, sputtering "asshole" at a stranger for something they shouldn't be an asshole for (believe me, I'll admit it when I fall under the category--and I have, proudly so) just makes one look like they need to visit a shrink. Or get laid. Or maybe find other means to pay for the education of three Povedan daughters (times are hard and school had just started, so I figure this must have been why his Innova's stick was up his ass.) 

A massive ego makes for a small brain. And the guy looked like he was gonna keel over from a heart attack. I drove on and went on to bigger, better things in my life.

  Sure, you can be small but terrible...but why not just be small and venerable? There's a whole lotta stupid out there, so it's best not to take part in it. 

1 comment:

  1. i had a very similar experience a few hours ago. not at a mall but at the funeral parlor parking lot (not the best place to get angry, i know). a car occupied a parking space that was meant for two cars. but instead of me getting pissed off, my sister, who's seated at the passenger seat, gave the driver an eagle eye.

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