Happy $#@* Holidays!!

Day 71

A guy I used to work with loved to share how during the rush of holiday shopping he’d purposely walk down the wrong parking lot aisle to trick those idling in their car into believing that he was leaving and a spot was opening up.  I couldn’t understand then, or now, how or why that is funny. 

Holiday shopping brings out the worst in people.  Whenever my kids and I witness something off-the-charts during the holiday time, we say that person has a case of the "Christmas crazies".  

"How come they don't get a time-out?" A. asks, a boy familiar with the concept.  

I have no good answer.      

I am out running errands with A. when I turn off of Governors Drive towards Target.  A movement in my peripheral vision catches my attention.  I turn my head and watch in horror as an older woman in a black sedan lets out a barrage of curse words at me.  (I don’t need closed captions; I can read her lips clearly.) 

Surely, she did not say what I thought she did?  As if reading my mind, she repeat herself. 

Yes.  Yes, she did.  

I stare back at her in disbelief.  I can't imagine what I did to set her off.     Give in or kill her with kindness?  What would you do? 

Since I’m writing this blog, I figure it’d be better to go with option #2. 

I look back, give her my biggest smile and mouth, “Happy Holidays!” 

Open-mouthed, she stares, too shocked to respond.