Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Karma

On the way to the daycare to drop off Serenity, we witnessed an interesting exchange.
A trash truck (and you know how loudly a toddler can and will announce the presence of a BIG TRUCK) stopped in the middle of the road and proceeded to back itself up.
Now, there was some warning as to what the driver's intentions were and I had plenty of time to stop, give him ample space to allow him to do what he needed to do in order to maneuver his truck into a frighteningly small area. Those of us on the 'right side' of the road, literally as well as figuratively, decided that we could be patient enough to help this truck driver out--what is a few more minutes when traffic is already congested? On the opposite side of the road however, a small bug-like car stopped up under the a*s of this truck as it was sitting sideways in the middle of the road. Since driver of said little car had the phone on her ear, we gathered she was pretty much oblivious to what was underway.
As I am sitting there watching I began to get nervous as the truck continued to back itself up across the white line toward little car. The driver of the little car--a female (as if that really matters)--sits there stubbornly although it is possible for her to back her little irritating car out of the way. So, the truck continues to back itself up and at the last moment stops after the female driver honked repeatedly and yelled a few expletives from the window. The truck pulled forward and little car went on through, because wherever it's destination, it was more important that any of ours of course. OF COURSE. Because that is how people drive in my town.

Eventually the trash truck gets itself situated to reverse into the tiniest parking lot ever paved and we can all pass through. He waves, we wave and all is well.
I continue toward and arrive at the childcare center, take my time getting Serenity situated with a toy and a friend, get back in my car and travel back the way I came. As I near a traffic light a bit beyond the place where the truck repositioned itself only a half hour earlier, I see something vaguely familiar in the distance. What is it, you wonder? And what before my wondering eyes should appear? Yep, you got it. Little car with it's now-distraught driver hanging out on the side of the road.
Driver was yelling frantically into the cell, probably explaining how she managed to swap paint with the BMW in front of her.
Ahhh Karma. Sweet Karma. Universal Justice prevails again.

Had little car's driver waited a couple of minutes for the truck earlier that morning, odds are that she would not have found herself exchanging information with "new friend".

Moral of this story--a little patience and kindness might actually save you money in the long run.
And hey, admit it, we all like to save a penny or two in the grand scheme of things.

5 comments:

Sarahviz said...

Welcome to the world of blogging! I promise/guarantee you'll get addicted to it!
Thanks for visiting me In the Trenches!
I'll be back.

Magpie said...

Right - and another moral of the story is DON'T TRY TO TALK AND DRIVE. Argh.

Anonymous said...

People drive like that around here, too. I swear I hate cellphone-wearing drivers!

ewe are here said...

I've watched people chattering away on their cell phones cruise right through red lights --where pedestrians were starting to cross-- without even noticing. I even pulled people back out of intersections where we had the right of way (by the hair of one! because of these idiots on occasion. Hate em!

S said...

Heh. She got hers, didn't she.