I’m grateful to all of those people out in the world who brighten my day, whether they know it or not. Today it was an angry man in a dark Buick.

I was driving my mother home from an appointment. As we neared home, I stopped at a red light a block away from the point at which we’d turn off the last major street before delving into our neighbourhood. Mom was talking about the local pizza place on that last block and how we should order from them again. The place came under new ownership some five years ago and pies suffered because of whatever changes the new owners made. She thought that perhaps they’ve learned their lesson and the only way we’d find out is by trying. The light turned green as she mentioned that they don’t send out flyers anymore so she had no idea what the current prices are. I pointed out that the prices were on the window, which wasn’t much use as we couldn’t read it from the road.

As you might imagine, I was driving a bit slower than normal as I cast the odd glance toward the pizza place. Two doors down, I signalled, braked, and began my left turn into the neighbourhood. Wanting to maintain my situational awareness, I looked around the car, predominantly toward the left. I noticed that the car behind me was following very closely. I glanced at the driver-door mirror just in time to see the driver stick his arm out the window and give me the finger.

What did I do? What most anyone else would. I burst into laughter. So thank you, angry Buick driver, for brightening my day with your assholeishness! I drove perhaps 5 km/h under the limit for 60 metres and I’ve committed a sin so bad that this angry man feels the need to open his window (it was –8ºC at the time) and give me the finger when he must know it’s exceedingly unlikely that I’d even see him?

Yes, I did happen to see him, but it’s so ridiculous that I found it hilarious. It may get me into trouble some day, but when I see that another driver is visibly upset with me for what really amounts to nothing, I can’t help but laugh.

Thank you again, angry Buick man!