I had a rather unnerving experience today, and I thought I would share.
It all started when I decided that I had to have the Bissell Hair Eraser Hand Vac. Three dogs make for a LOT of hair around here…and it’s not easy to remove from the car and couch.
So, I picked up Rooster from the house with plans for a stop at Tropical Smoothie for a Chocolate Chiller before heading over to Best Buy in search of the cleaning tool. Before we left, I grabbed the mail from the mailbox and threw it on the dash of the car, never actually going inside the house. I wanted to get done with the errands.
As we made our way to get our smoothie, I encountered several traffic lights. While sitting at a red one, I reached for one of the magazines that had arrived in the mail. I began to skim an article, keeping an eye on the light. When it turned green, I set the magazine in my lap and proceeded.
This is how we made our way to the two places we were visiting.
After I parked at Best Buy, I exited the car, only to encounter the driver of the truck parked next to mine waiting for me. He had pulled in about the same time as me.
Here’s the conversation that ensued:
“Ma’am,” he said, “I’ve been following you since you left Podunk Town, and I saw you reading a magazine the whole way. You really need to drive more carefully,” and seeing Rooster exit the car, he added, “expecially with your young son in the car.”
He continued, without much of a break, “You were driving so slowly that you backed up traffic.”
I stood there in shock. For one thing, he was very loud. I was mortified.
I began to explain, in self defense, that I had only been reading at the red lights and would never read while driving. As far as my speed, Soccer Chick is constantly telling me, “Mama, the speed limit is such-and-such, and you’re going way below it.”
I’m a slow driver. What can I say? Especially since I got my one and only speeding ticket this past summer.
The man continued. And I tried to defend myself.
In fairness, I’m sure he didn’t know what else to think when he saw that magazine in my lap. He was in a big truck and could probably look in easily. I’m sure his heart was in the right place. Many, many people do stupid things while driving. So, I can understand how he came to his conclusions.
However, in my case, appearances were deceiving. He obviously didn’t see when I put the magazine under the wheel when the lights turned green. He didn’t comment that never once did I swerve nor run a yellow or red light.
Sigh.
How many times do we rush to judgment, unfairly accusing another of something they are not guilty of? How many times to we keep talking and refuse to give the other party a chance to give their side of the story?
He totally ruined my afternoon. It bothers me that this man probably thinks the worst of me.
As a Christian, this is yet another reminder that people are watching…even when you might least expect them to be. What kind of example am I setting? Do any of my actions make anyone pause and question my intentions?
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Bissell Hair Eraser Hand Vac, Christianity, judging others | 3 Comments »
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