Showdown in the School Zone

Sometimes, it makes sense why kids act the way they do when you encounter their parents.

Hot Rod does 'safety patrol' at his school and has to be there by 7:40 a.m. Poor little fella slept in this morning because he was exhausted after his baseball game last night. We didn't get home till 9 p.m. or so, which make it a long day for a kid.

So, we're running a little late, but we are about a block from the school when the clock hits 7:40 and I'm trying to get him there. Apparently, the truck in front of me thought I was following him too closely. I figured he must because instead of going 20 mph in the school zone, he slowed to 15 mph, so I'm on his bumper. Yep, I admit it. Not in any effort to be menacing, but hoping to get my kid to his obligation on time.

So, I drop the kids off and just look out of my rearview mirror to see if I know the kid who gets out of the car. I recognize her as an overall decent kid, but fairly bratty (I've subbed in her classes before). My initial thought is a bit of a shock because I know she is the cousin of one of Hot Rod's friends. And that friend has great parents. So, the driver of the slow truck is related to them, so he must not have been slowing down on purpose, but just being cautious in the school zone, I'm thinking. So, I pull out of the school parking lot and start heading home.

I'm going 20 mph because that is the law (and its safe with kids around) when I hear an engine racing and look up and the truck that had slowed down in front of me has his brights on and is accelerating to probably around 50 mph in the school zone. The truck gets doesn't show any signs of stopping as I sit at the stop sign. I honestly thought he had lost control and was going to hit me, but there was a car coming on the crossroad, so I couldn't pull out into it.

When I get out in the road, the truck runs the stop sign and revs the engine again and gets right on my bumper. It took me a minute to realize it was the asshole who had slowed to 15 mph in front of me just a few moments earlier. I honestly wasn't expecting a showdown just outside of the school zone. I mean, come on. Really? So, he revs his engine the whole way and is right on my bumper. So, as I approach the stop light (which was red) I stopped and he almost hit me. Then he whips his truck around me wildly to get up next to me.

So, I rolled my window down. Asswad was so riled up I couldn't even talk to him. He just starts yelling "SO YOU LIKE TO RIDE MY ASS! HOW'S IT FEEL TO HAVE SOMEONE ON YOUR BUMPER? HUH? HOW'S IT FEEL? DO YOU LIKE IT?"

Then, he gives some triumphant look and pulls away. *shaking my head* Dude. Really? I am on your bumper (and in no form or fashion anywhere close to the way he was on mine accelerating like he was) for maybe - at the most - an 1/8 of a mile at 2o mph and you're going to respond like that? Really?

I am so mad right now that I'm shaking and I've had about 15 minutes to calm down. What is wrong with people? I mean TRULY wrong with people that he would be set off like that for me hoping he'd go the 20 mph in the one block before school. Dude has some serious issues. It might also explain why his child is such a brat to have him as her father figure. What a jerk. Complete total jerk. And, I hate feeling this way because I really would like to do something nasty to him. Jerk. Jerk. Jerk.