Friday, June 20, 2008

Interstate 410 and Me


On the way to The Kid's swimming lesson yesterday I was composing a love letter in my head, a love letter to the interstate.


I got on the interstate without anyone speeding up and trying to run me off the road as I merged into the right lane. No one tailgated me and made obscene gestures because I was driving the speed limit. No car tried to zip past me on the right shoulder as I took our exit. It was the perfect freeway experience. Everyone used their signals and merged politely and played/drove fair.


Not even the little girl who kept walking past me and dragging her sticky wet lollipop across my leg during The Kid's swim class could dampen my burning love for the interstate.


Then, on the way home, a middle-aged guy in a red Jeep (yeah, you know who you are) honked, cut me off and flipped me off, all in one seemingly effortless road ragey move, and I breathed a sad little farewell to my love of the interstate.


And now I have to go explain to The Kid what "flip me off" means, cause he's sure to read this.

Photo courtesy of TexasFreeways.com



5 comments:

  1. How about, "It's a grown up way of waving...when you're not too bright."

    I still remember my mom flipping someone off (someone who had cut her off), when I was a kid. But it was winter...and she was wearing mittens!

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  2. In MA, it's rare that anyone goes the speed limit...sad, but true!

    And you are extraordinarily patient...I'd've tossed that kid into the pool ;)

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  3. I think that my driving phobia is mostly due to the fact that the traffic here (D.C. area) is so horrible and so "road ragey." So I got caught by the "got on the interstate" and "merged into the right lane"--I can't even feel your pain--I'm just thinking, "she drives on the interstate and merges--she's fearless."

    But I AM sorry people suck...and I probably would have gotten just a bit tetchy with the little girl...

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  4. This is why I tend to stay close to home-freeways and bridges bring out the white knuckle in me.

    At least the love lasted most of the day.

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  5. I don't ever ENJOY driving on the freeway but Thursday morning was a lot less horrible than usual. I'm a little white knuckley whenever I'm driving...

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