F
Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young
fellow to
> unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting
to me
> as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make
out what
> you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?" There's
> probably about 8 or 10 motorists all rather curiously staring at me
and the
> Encore, trying to figure out what is going on, probably because
they're
> bored waiting at this interminable light, and this is the most
interesting
> thing happening. "I was afraid that maybe you had some difficulty.
Are you
> sure you're all right?" Like, are you sure you don't need a brain
> transplant, IDIOT?!! but of course outwardly I was all maternal
concern.
> They disavow any need for assistance, and embarrassedly roll up their
> window. The light turns green.
>
> I ride away in triumph.
As I said:
"I keep thinking there must be a way to use psychological jiu-jitsu in
situations like that - something other than "my weapon trumps your
weapon," even if my "weapon" is a cell phone. I'm thinking (vaguely)
of something that confuses them, then makes them see how silly they're
being. "
Good one, Claire!
- Frank Krygowski
>
> I exclaim, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" until I finally get the young
fellow to
> unroll his window. I say, in a motherly voice, "I heard you shouting
to me
> as you passed by me earlier on the hill, but I couldn't quite make
out what
> you said. Is everything OK? Do you need help with anything?" There's
> probably about 8 or 10 motorists all rather curiously staring at me
and the
> Encore, trying to figure out what is going on, probably because
they're
> bored waiting at this interminable light, and this is the most
interesting
> thing happening. "I was afraid that maybe you had some difficulty.
Are you
> sure you're all right?" Like, are you sure you don't need a brain
> transplant, IDIOT?!! but of course outwardly I was all maternal
concern.
> They disavow any need for assistance, and embarrassedly roll up their
> window. The light turns green.
>
> I ride away in triumph.
As I said:
"I keep thinking there must be a way to use psychological jiu-jitsu in
situations like that - something other than "my weapon trumps your
weapon," even if my "weapon" is a cell phone. I'm thinking (vaguely)
of something that confuses them, then makes them see how silly they're
being. "
Good one, Claire!
- Frank Krygowski